Trinity Flavell died five days after crashing into a concrete power pole on Pipiwai Rd, near Whangārei.
Trinity Flavell died five days after crashing into a concrete power pole on Pipiwai Rd, near Whangārei.
A coroner’s recommendation for a shoulder barrier on part of Pipiwai Rd following a crash death in 2020 will be followed up - subject to funding approval.
Trinity Rosemarie Violet Flavell, 18, died on September 10, 2020, five days after the car she was driving hit a power pole near the intersection with Matarau Rd, just outside Whangārei.
The cause of death given in the report was was “traumatic brain injury due to a motor vehicle crash”.
Coroner Tania Tetitaha’s sole recommendation in her report was that “the Whangārei District Council consider erecting a shoulder barrier from the Matarau intersection eastwards to where the accident occurred of approximately 60 metres in length”.
The report noted that the council had confirmed it would investigate installing a barrier.
Calvin Thomas, general manager of the Northland Transportation Alliance - a collaboration between Northland’s councils and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency - said the investigation was complete and they would be recommending the inclusion of the barrier, consistent with the coroner’s report.
“This work is scheduled, pending funding approval from Waka Kotahi, under the High Risk Rural Road (HRRR) programme in the next Long Term Plan period, 2024-2027,” Thomas said.
The Pipiwai Rd and Matarau Rd intersection - the site of multiple crashes involving a power pole - will get safety barriers installed, subject to funding.
Flavell was airlifted to Auckland Hospital in critical condition after the crash on September 5, where she had a number of surgeries and was placed on a ventilator. There were five passengers in the car who were also injured.
Tetitaha noted that Flavell, who had planned a trip to the beach that afternoon, “accelerated up to between 120 and 150km/h and her passengers asked her to slow down”.
“When she neared a right-hand bend with a 55km/h speed limit, Trinity tried to slow the car 60 metres before the bend but entered it too fast, causing the car to swing wide and slide sideways. Trinity over-corrected and the car slid out of control, crashing into a concrete power pole on the left-hand side of the road.”
The Serious Crash Unit (SCU) noted several contributing factors to the crash, including faults with the vehicle and Flavell’s driving.
The car had no warrant of fitness, and the two rear tyres were worn, as was one of the suspension bushes.
The SCU also found Flavell was driving under the influence of MDMA (ecstasy), travelling at excessive speed and driving in breach of her restricted licence.
However, they also noted that there was another fatal crash previously after a vehicle hit the same concrete power pole, and there were 36 recorded crashes on Pipiwai Rd between 2015 and 2020.
The SCU’s recommendation was that “an Armco barrier be installed on the northern side of the corner to deflect out-of-control vehicles away from the power pole”.
Family members from Australia, including Flavell’s brother and sister, were unable to see her before her death due to Covid-related Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) regulations in place at the time.
The family sought an exemption, but this was declined by the Ministry of Health.
