The car in which five people died in a crash on Tirohanga Rd, Atiamuri. Photo / Stephen Parker
In the middle of the night, four Rotorua children went in a car with family members. A few hours later, three of them, and their father and cousin were dead in a horror crash that was ‘‘preventable’'.
Methamphetamine, cannabis, fatigue, speed and no seatbelts were factors in the crash south of Rotorua nearly four years ago, a coroner has ruled.
Today, Bay of Plenty police’s top roading boss has issued drivers with a warning - there will be no more leniency or second chances if drivers make mistakes. Local police are on a renewed drive to try and stop serious crashes and deaths and will be issuing more tickets.
Inspector Stuart Nightingale told the Rotorua Daily Post Weekend “we will be focusing on similar driving behaviour that contributed to the fatal crash near Atiamuri in 2019″.
The coroner’s finding into the deaths of Peter Senior Rangikataua, 44, from Rotorua, his nephew Rangi Rangikataua, 26, from Mokai and Peter Senior’s three daughters Michelle Morgan-Rangikataua, 15, Aroha Morgan-Rangikataua, 14, and Kahukura Morgan-Rangikataua, 12, has revealed details about the horror crash on April 1, 2019.
The three girls were in the backseat of a car being driven by Rangi when it crashed on Tirohanga Rd at Atiamuri. Another child was also in the backseat and was the sole survivor.
Aroha and Michelle lived with a relative and Kahukura lived with her father. All four children were staying with the relative on April 1, 2019, when Peter Senior, Rangi and Peter Junior went to her home at 1.20am and picked them up.
Peter Junior was travelling in a separate vehicle. Rangi was driving a Ford vehicle containing Peter Senior and the four children.
Rangi told the relative he needed the children to attend a hui at a family member’s house at Atiamuri. The relative was concerned because Peter Senior had never arrived at her home at such an early time before.
Rangi told the relative the children would be back in time for school that day.
The group visited Peter Senior’s brother in Rotorua, leaving about 2.30am and returning to the brother’s house about 4am. On both occasions, Rangi was driving, the finding said.
Police were informed about a crash on Tirohanga Rd about 7.30am that day.
The Ford had crashed into a mature gum tree and the occupants had been thrown forward. Five people were found dead and the sixth suffered serious injuries.
Rangi was found to have methamphetamine in his blood at a level of 0.2mg per litre, cannabis and its active ingredient THC were also confirmed in his blood, along with a trace level of alcohol.
Coroner Matthew Bates said in his finding methamphetamine was a central nervous system stimulant and it might be dangerous to drive after using it due to overconfidence in driving skills that were not supported by actual improvement in driving ability. It could lead to unnecessary risks, aggressive and dangerous driving and an impaired ability to react appropriately. Drivers who have used methamphetamine could also suddenly fall asleep as the stimulant effects wore off, the finding said.
Cannabis could not easily be classified as a sedative or a stimulant because it had different effects on different people, the finding said.
The crash happened about 300m north of Kama Rd on an easy right-hand bend preceded by a long, straight section of road. It is a 100km/h speed limit area.
Tyre marks found at the scene showed the Ford crossed the centreline, lost control and overcorrected, hitting a bunch of trees.
The front tyres were mismatched which might have led to an adverse effect on the vehicle’s handling and could have contributed to the vehicle drifting out of its land.
The serious crash unit believed the Ford was travelling at 90 to 100km/h when it hit the trees. The finding said if it had been travelling 80km/h or less it was likely it would have been able to stop before hitting the trees.
The finding said the serious crash unit noted the drugs in Rangi’s blood.
“Fatigue is associated with withdrawal from methamphetamine and fatigue and drowsiness are associated with cannabis use. In combination with the time of the crash and the shallow angle of departure from the road, it is likely that fatigue was a factor in the crash.”
The coroner said: ‘‘Tragically, these deaths were preventable.’’
Coroner Bates did not make any recommendations, noting the importance of wearing a seatbelt, and the dangers of driving while fatigued and under the influence of methamphetamine and cannabis had been the subjects of many public safety campaigns.
He also noted the serious crash unit recommended the speed limit of Tirohanga Rd be reviewed. A copy of the unit’s report was sent to the Taupō District Council and it advised the speed limit had already been reviewed in 2017 and was found to be appropriate.
Bay of Plenty drivers are being warned police are zeroing in on a goal to drastically reduce road trauma - and that means getting tough on the small stuff.
Nightingale, the Bay’s new road policing manager, said staff were refreshing their focus on road policing and road safety with its commitment to the Road To Zero partnership with Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency.
Road to Zero is a Government strategy to make improvements from enforcement to infrastructure to achieve the goal to have no one killed or seriously injured in road crashes.
“We will be focusing on similar driving behaviour that contributed to the fatal crash near Atiamuri in 2019. And not just that crash but all the other serious and fatal crashes that have and continued to happen since in similar circumstances.”
Nightingale said police needed to use every tool they had to keep the public safe.
“Every time a serious crash occurs where someone is injured or killed, it has a significant ripple effect in the community. It is nothing short of devastating. We are focusing on changing the mindset of our drivers so that they don’t drive with excessive speed, they are properly restrained - including their children, they are not distracted with their cell phones and they do not engage in alcohol or drugs or other behaviour before driving.”
Nightingale said all police officers were using productivity measures to achieve their goals, including issuing infringement notices for drivers caught speeding 10km/h or less over the limit.
Where police might have let that go in the past to concentrate on catching higher speeders, all speeders would now be targeted, he said.
They would be taking a similarly hard line with restraints and mobile phone use and every vehicle stopped should see the driver breath-tested.
“No warnings are to be issued for these offences at all. Whether you are a constable or an inspector, we are all contributing. It is an all-of-policing approach.”
Nightingale said he of all people knew no one was immune - having been fined himself for speeding.
“Several years, I was stopped for speeding in a police car and I had no defence available to me. I told the officer to issue me with an infringement notice. It was embarrassing but it made me change the way I drove.”
Nightingale said he commended his officer because it was “entirely my fault”.
“There’s no double standards. If I got a ticket, you are most certainly going to get one.”
Drivers were not the only ones being targeted.
“For every serious crash that has occurred, there are other people usually aware the driver has engaged in that risky behaviour. We are calling on friends and family, workmates and other people in the community to step up.
“We all need to have the courage to speak up and challenge these people who we know are taking risks every day - whether it’s drink driving, driving too fast or using their phones while driving.”
The Bay of Plenty had achieved a big reduction in road trauma before and Nightingale said it was achievable again.
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