Benny Bee Arataki Honey and Gull Waiotapu owner Russell Berry says the speed limit on State Highway 5, Waiotapu should be lowered further. Photo / File
Benny Bee Arataki Honey and Gull Waiotapu owner Russell Berry says the speed limit on State Highway 5, Waiotapu should be lowered further. Photo / File
Waiotapu locals are calling for motorists to lower their speeds after two people were killed and five injured in a crash on State Highway 5.
The owner of one nearby business says people "just don't appreciate how dangerous this stretch of road is".
Police investigating the horror crash on Tuesdaynight say early indications are that fatigue was a factor. Last night, they called for witnesses to the crash - near the intersection with Waikite Valley Rd - to come forward.
Two vehicles - one carrying two occupants and the other five - crashed at about 7.15pm, around 400m north of the Waiotapu intersection.
The injuries of the five hurt ranged from critical to minor, a police spokeswoman said.
Benny Bee Arataki Honey and Gull Waiotapu owner Russell Berry said it was a tragedy to see more lives lost and he believed the speed limit could be lowered further.
"The only thing I heard was the helicopters coming in. It is a very serious situation, we battled for 10 to 15 years to get the speed limit dropped down to 80km/h.
"It probably should've gone down a bit lower. People just don't appreciate how dangerous this stretch of road is."
The stretch of road on State Highway 5 where an accident killed two people and injured five others. Photo / Andrew Warner
Berry said with several businesses in Waiotapu, as well as tourist destinations nearby, there were a lot of drivers trying to turn across traffic on the highway.
"There are a lot of people coming and going at this point. I haven't got a speed gun but I suspect there are quite a few who are not [adhering to the new speed limit].
"It's always hard to change people's habits after driving through here at 100km/h to all of a sudden go to 80km/h. The only way to change those habits is to have more police cars out here and give out more tickets."
He said it could also help to extend the speed limit further north and south of the intersection, allowing drivers more time to slow down before the busy intersection.
"I think the speed limit is not quite long enough either, it's quite short. People need to have enough time to slow down before they get to the danger areas.
"There have been a lot of crashes here in the past but not any fatal ones for a very long time. There are a lot of low-speed crashes as well and I think a lot of it is tourists who are not quite sure where they want to go."
Berry also said locals were sometimes guilty of not stopping at the stop sign.
The businesses in the area and tourist destinations nearby resulting in turning traffic, and a narrow road layout that made it hard to see what was approaching were among reasons NZTA gave for the speed limit reduction last year.
Waiotapu Tavern bar manager Bharath Ranga agreed not all drivers seemed to be sticking to the new 80km/h speed limit and urged them to do so.
"It's actually not dangerous, it's an 80km/h zone," he said.
"I think 80km/h is good because it's a bit slower ... Sometimes a few cars won't drop to 80km/h, they are still going at speed. Obviously, they should slow down."
A stretch of State Highway 5, near the Waiotapu intersection, where a fatal crash happened. Photo / Andrew Warner
He was working at the tavern on Tuesday night when the accident happened.
"I didn't hear anything but I started seeing people waiting on the road - a traffic jam," Ranga said.
"I went out and had a look. I saw two helicopters, cops, an ambulance and fire engines. They told me there was a big accident."
Ranga agreed it would be helpful to extend the length of the 80km/h zone, particularly on the Taupō side.
Rotorua area road policing manager Senior Sergeant Geoff Barnett said there was no indication ice was a factor in Tuesday night's crash.
"Early indications are fatigue was a factor, so the relevant warnings and advice are to manage your travel carefully, take regular breaks, and swap drivers where possible.
"The Serious Crash Unit has attended and an investigation is under way. It is a tragic outcome, our thoughts and condolences go out to the families involved."
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency safe network programme director Dave van Staden echoed that sentiment and said the agency could not comment on the specific crash during the investigation.
Regarding calls to lower the speed limit further, he said factors that would need to be considered included what the road was like, how it was used, how safe it was and what the risks were, as well as the severity of crashes.
"For State Highway 5 Waiotapu, Waka Kotahi carried out a technical assessment which considered all these factors.
"It found that the safe and appropriate speed is 80km/h for the current road environment. The current road and roadside environment (ie limited development with restricted property access, roadside barriers and wide shoulders) is not conducive to a 60km/h speed limit."
The agency was monitoring the 80km/h limit to ensure it was working and determine if further change was needed.
Announcing the limit reduction last year, Waka Kotahi director regional relationships Steve Mutton said speed was a factor in every crash.
"Even when it isn't the cause, it can be the difference between someone walking away unharmed or being seriously injured or even killed. By making change now, we can help prevent more crashes on this road and reduce the risk of a tragedy.
"The traffic volumes, crash history and nature of this road, mean 80km/h is the safe and appropriate speed for SH5 Waiotapu. This is in line with the speeds people currently travel along the road," he said.
Between 2009 and 2018 there were 20 crashes at Waiotapu, and five people were seriously injured.
