Weltnachrichten – AU – Three people died and five were injured in a « heartbreaking » frontal accident in SA

Police and emergency services were called at 12:30 p.m. on the Princes Highway in Suttontown, 3 miles west of Mount Gambier.

The three inmates of a Ford Territory – a 39-year-old woman, a 77-year-old woman, and an 80-year-old man, all from Millicent – died on the scene.

Four occupants of the second car, a Toyota Landcruiser, have been hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, while a fifth is being treated for critical injuries.

The Princes Highway is closed between Sassanowsky Road and Kangaroo Flat Road. The traffic diversions are expected to take several hours.

Limestone Coast Superintendent Superintendent Phil Hoff said the fatal crash was « an absolute tragedy ». .

« You can see that the road is clearly defined by restricted lines. Two vehicles collided on one side of the street, « he said.

He said it appeared that one vehicle was heading towards Mount Gambier while the other was heading towards Millicent – but investigators were still trying to determine which was on the wrong side of the road.

« This year we haven’t lost a life on our streets on the limestone coast, none. Three people lost their lives in one fell swoop and five more are being treated in hospital. « 

« We have made an extraordinary effort and been very forceful in our traffic education campaigns, our traffic enforcement campaigns, and yet here we are, » he said.

When South Australia lifted its coronavirus border restriction with Victoria on Tuesday, regional border communities expected « a lot more traffic ». .

« The public can really expect us to go into effect and make sure people are doing the right thing, » Superintendent Hoff said.

« We’ve all gone through so many difficulties this year, the last thing we need is something like this to come back on. « 

The road toll in South Australia is now 85 versus 101 at the same time last year.

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AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time, 10 hours before GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)

Mount Gambier, Suttontown, head-on collision, Princes Highway