Mt Road crash just waiting to happen

Waimarino Bulletin, Issue 5, 19 August 1988, Page 3

Mt Road crash just waiting to happen

If you want to see accidents waiting to happen park yourself near the Ohakune Mountain Road during the ski season.

Department o f Conservation staff, who administer the road say they have grave concerns that soon a major, serious accident will occur if people continue to drive the way they do on the road. "The law of averages dictates that eventually there will be a serious if not fatal motor accident, " says Conservation Officer Rob McCallum. That is considering the way people drive on what is a narrow, winding and busy road which is subject to some of the worst weather conditions. Mr McCallum cited examples of several cars witnessed travelling in excess of

150 kph on the road, as well as drastically cutting corners. "It doesn't matter how good a driver you are, you can't see round corners." "We are v e r y concerned for the professional drivers on the road, who daily face the danger of meeting a car going the other way on the road," said Mr McCallum. He said these bus, taxi and mini coach drivers are often travelling against the flow of traffic. There are daily reports of close calls from them, he said. Alcohol and driving is also a concern, with one serious accident

attributed to alcohol already this season. "There's nothing better than a beer after a great day's skiing but it's better to wait until you're down town if you're going to have

more than one," h e said. As far as getting up onto the snow in the morning he says: "Ruapehu's been there for a couple of million

years and it's not going to go away for a while, surely it's better to take a couple of extra minutes to drive u p there than tq risk missing out on the rest of your life?"