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■ How many have to die asks resident left shocked by latest death ...
Gateway to tragedy By Helena Adeloju A traumatised resident has asked how many people have to die outside her home before something is done to make Pakenham Road safe. Her appeal comes after a freak accident killed a motorcyclist at the weekend. Pakenham Road resident of 14 years Lyndal Warne said the fatality at the weekend was the latest in years of deaths and accidents which have taken a toll on her family and their neighbours. A 46-year-old Narre Warren man was killed while riding in a group of
four about 10am on Sunday 30 April. The motorcyclist lost control of the motorcycle causing him to slide across to the other side of the road and into the path of an on-coming Ford four wheel drive. The female driver of the 4WD was from Gembrook and was described as “traumatised” by the incident. Cardinia Highway Patrol Acting Senior Sergeant Glenn Dunn said it was a “freak type accident”. “She was just coming around the corner and was left with nowhere to go,” he said.
Two off duty nurses stopped to help, working on the man for 40 minutes before an ambulance arrived. “Unfortunately, his injuries were just too severe,” Sgt Dunn said. The man died at the scene. A report will be prepared for the coroner. Ms Warne recalled a similar previous incident that she will never forget. “In 2015 a young father lost control of his motorbike and died on the road outside our house,” she said. “We were the first on scene and it was awful.”
She said she was upset that people were having accidents and dying on the road she lives on. “We’ve had two accidents literally at our gate, but it’s out of control,” she said. “There is an accident every other day.” She said the road surface is compromised by the heavy vehicles from the quarry and the logging trucks as well as the general traffic. “Between Paternoster Road and Army Road are the worst,” Ms Warne said. She said she had called VicRoads
Lyndal Warne is sick of the deaths and accidents on Pakenham Road. 167805
several times over the years but to no avail. Ms Warne said she had contacted the Gazette because the latest death prompted her to take more decisive action. “I’ve decided that I am going to do whatever I can to highlight this issue,” Ms Warne said. “There’s been a lot of accidents on our road and I take it quite personally,” she said. VicRoads was contacted by the Gazette but did not respond before deadline.
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