The Ashburton District Council is welcoming recommendations to improve safety at rural intersections following a coroner’s report into a triple-fatality at the intersection of Hepburns and Mitcham Roads three years ago.

Mayor Neil Brown said the event was a tragedy that had heavily impacted the community.

“We know that this report will bring the crash back into focus for the families and everyone else involved, so our thoughts are with them during this time. As a council, we now need to look at how this report can help us lower the risk of this sort of terrible event occurring again.”

The coroner concluded that it’s probable the driver of one the cars did not see the existing give way sign before failing to give way and driving into the path of another vehicle on Mitcham Road.

Although the give way sign was not obstructed, evidence presented to the coroner suggested it may have visually ‘blended’ into the surrounding rural environment.

Infrastructure Services Group Manager Neil McCann said the give way signs had already been replaced with stop signs and the Council would be immediately implementing the Coroner’s recommendations including installing additional signs to make the intersection more visible and reviewing similar rural intersections across the district.

“We welcome anything that helps reduce the risk of crashes on our roads, and we will consider this report closely when we look at similar intersections.

“We will be placing additional large stop signs on the right-hand side of each of the approaches on Hepburns Road as recommended. These will be installed as soon as they are delivered.”

Mr McCann said Council had also installed an advance warning sign on Hepburns Road and worked with property owners to improve visibility at the intersection.

“A lot of work was done soon after the crash, and that included clearing vegetation and the removal of a concrete irrigation structure. The stop signs are currently the larger rural type signs, but these will be replaced by even bigger signs.”

Crash data supplied to the coroner showed that there have been three crashes with potentially similar causes in the Ashburton district over the past 10 years.

Mr McCann said the Council will assess 79 similar intersections to check whether the existing combination of road signs and markings were adequate for the purpose of providing the safest possible environment.

Mayor Brown says while many rural intersections may appear to be quiet, drivers need to be aware of the hazards.

“We have one of the largest local body roading networks in the country and our roads carry a lot of heavy agricultural traffic, like milk tankers. Please drive to the conditions and take extra caution when approaching any intersection, rural or urban.”