Safety work urgent for highway, says coroner

Urgent safety work is needed on State Highway 1 south of Whangarei, says a coroner investigating the death of a pedestrian hit by two cars.

Rangi-Marie Anne Karena, 48, died from multiple fractures on April 22 after she was struck by the cars on the highway near her home at Kaiwaka, 62km south of Whangarei.

Whangarei coroner Max Atkins said Ms Karena was hit first by a southbound car in a passing lane. The impact flung her into the path of a northbound car, which also hit her.

Mr Atkins said Ms Karena's view of the first car which hit her would have been obscured by a car in the left lane which was being passed. The driver would also not have been able to see Ms Karena.

"Neither driver was at fault as no action to avoid impact was possible," Mr Atkins said.

Noting that Ms Karena was not the first pedestrian killed in this spot, Mr Atkins called for safety modifications to the road.

In a November 8 memorandum, Transit New Zealand called for the extension of a flush median, extra lighting and advanced 70km/h speed limit warning signs.

The day before, Land Transport New Zealand called for similar measures as well as the installation of a pedestrian refuge near a service station at the southern end of the highway.

Mr Atkins noted that residents wanted such a refuge to be as a raised platform. He agreed safety measures were needed, but called for them to be made a priority.

"When all the work has been carried out, the likelihood of further similar tragedies, in my opinion, will be significantly reduced."

- NZPA