Crashed cars in Napier spark crime and safety concerns

Two battered cars pictured on Wednesday following a crash at the intersection of Nelson Cres and Latham St in Napier on Thursday last week. Nearby residents are concerned about crime and safety.

Two crashed cars on a Napier South street that have been sitting on the side of the road for more than a week are attracting crime and causing road safety issues, a resident says.

While Napier City Council says it is working with police to help solve the issue, one motoring expert says situations like this are the result of a wider failed system.

A witness told Hawke’s Bay Today the two-car crash happened about a week ago at the intersection of Nelson Cres and Latham St.

They said it was raining hard one evening and the loud bang sounded like “someone had crashed through the side of the house”.

He said neighbours went outside to check on the people in the vehicles, who did not appear to have suffered any serious injuries and were quickly out of their vehicles.

“Later that same evening, a tow truck arrived at the scene and helped shift one of the cars to the side of the road before leaving again.”

They have been on the side of the road ever since, and it seems no one knows who is responsible or when they will be moved.

Concerned resident Jeremy Cockburn said he had contacted the police and asked for the cars to be removed because they were a hazard to road users and would likely attract crime.

Just one day after he spoke to police, he said he saw people stripping the car.

He also said he spoke to someone from Napier City Council, who was assessing the vehicle, and asked if the council could remove it.

“From what I can gather, no organisation in Napier is prepared to take responsibility and get these cars moved.

“All that will be left there will be two car skeletons, because everything would’ve been taken from them and out of them.”

Cockburn also pointed out that if the cars were not damaged, they would be incurring significant fines.

“If any normal person parked their cars where those cars are parked now, they would be ticketed and have to pay a massive fine.”

An unknown person was spotted near the vehicles on Wednesday. It is not known if this was an owner or connected to the car in any way.

Police directed inquiries to Napier City Council.

“At this stage we have not been made aware of any concerns about the vehicles,” a police spokesperson said.

“Police are not generally involved in the removal of vehicles.”

A Napier City Council spokesperson said the vehicles were reported to NCC by a member of the public on August 15.

“The NCC procedure is to speak with the police and attempt to track owners. This is in process.

“The vehicles will be removed once more information is ascertained.”

The spokesperson said if members of the public do see an abandoned vehicle, they should report it to the police in the first instance.

Motoring expert Clive Matthew-Wilson of Dog and Lemon says this kind of issue was “a typical example of a system that has failed to keep up with modern realities”.

“Until recently, if two cars had minor crashes, the owners would usually arrange for the towing of their damaged vehicles. End of problem.”

However, Matthew-Wilson said there were often a number of personal circumstances, such as poverty or a poor understanding of the system, that could impact the way situations were dealt with. He said government agencies needed to take these into account.

This ranged from unlicensed and impaired driving to ownership issues and a lack of registration, insurance or warranty.

“So, when an accident of this kind happens, the drivers may be scared to return to pick up their vehicles.

“These messy situations are now commonplace, and the Government needs to change the vehicle recovery system so that the system can respond quickly to this new reality,” Matthew-Wilson said.

An AA spokesperson said if a person’s vehicle has been damaged in an accident, it’s their responsibility to get in touch with their insurance provider.

“Ideally the owner should work with the police, local council or their insurance provider to get the damaged vehicle removed from the roadside as soon as possible.

“Councils can also investigate complaints and actively pursue the owner if they are able to be traced.”