Crash course

By Kelly Yates
GOLF Links Road is a tragedy waiting to happen, say Casey traffic police, local firefighters and residents.
The gravel road in Narre Warren is a notorious hot spot for car crashes, with police being called out to 15 serious collisions along the road in the past 12 months.
Narre Warren firefighters say they go to more accidents on Golf Links Road than any other location in Narre Warren.
Fourth Lieutenant Tony Bundock told the News it was only a matter of time before they were called to a fatal accident down there.
A driver lost control of his car on the gravel section of the road and got wedged in the ditch earlier this month.
He was trapped in the car for 35 minutes while paramedics and CFA rescue crews worked to stabilise and free him from the vehicle.
Then a week later on 10 April, a driver rolled her car and came to rest on a fence post.
Fourth Lieutenant Bundock said the car was on a 45-degree angle.
Last Thursday night firefighters were again called to Golf Links Road where a four wheel drive lost control and rolled onto its roof.
Senior Constable Allen Inderwisch from the Casey Traffic Management Unit said the main causes of the car crashes over the past year were inappropriate speed for the road surface, oncoming cars being on the wrong side of the road and weather conditions affecting the road surface.
“Police are worried because 15 collisions in the past year is a very high number,” he said.
Amarinder Mann, who lives metres away from Golf Links Road, said he often saw cars travelling at speeds of 100km/h and doing burnouts along the road.
“There are probably two or three crashes there every week,” he said
Mr Mann has raised the issue with Casey Council numerous times.
“But all they say is they can’t do anything about it,” he said.
“We get so much dust from the roads both inside and outside of our house. I clean the gutters every three months and it’s always full of dust and mud.”
Nearby resident Daniel Andronescu said hoons were causing havoc in the area on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
“My bedroom is right near the road and I can hear everything.”
City of Casey transport manager Paul Hamilton says Golf Links Road, between Parry Drive and Fleetwood Drive, is expected to be sealed when the land adjacent to the north of the road is developed.
As a local road, the gravel section of Golf Links Road is on the council’s regular maintenance cycle, which includes grading and rectification of defects.
Police are urging motorists to drive carefully on all Casey roads.