Manning Great Lakes Police District officers are urging members of the driving public to “please drive safely” following a couple of accidents late last week.
“Please ensure if you are travelling over this holiday period that you allow plenty of time for your journey.
“The Pacific Highway is very busy particularly northbound and it is likely your travel will take longer than normal.
“ Take regular breaks so that you get to your destination safely.”
Last Friday morning, December 28 a male driver of a white Corolla was taken to hospital following a single vehicle accident on the Pacific Highway near Bulahdelah.
The driver was travelling south when he came up behind vehicles driving in both lanes and realised he was travelling too fast to avoid a collision.
He attempted to avoid the vehicles by veering into the centre median strip.
However, this did not slow the vehicle and he travelled out into the northbound lanes still travelling in a southerly direction.
A driver travelling north with his family of five, including a baby in the vehicle responded quick enough to take evasive actions but was still side swiped by the out of control vehicle which then veered back through the centre median into the south bound lanes ahead of the vehicles he originally tried to avoid.
Police attended and the male driver was taken to hospital. No other people were injured. Police will take action against the male for his manner of driving
Earlier that morning highway patrol officers responded to reports of a vehicle driving northbound on the Pacific Highway in a menacing manner speeding up and slowing down in front of heavy vehicles without tail lights and then changing lanes to prevent them from overtaking.
The officers located the vehicle on the Pacific Highway at Cundletown and signaled to it to stop.
The vehicle pulled over for a short time but drove off when the officers approached.
A pursuit was initiated as the vehicle refused to stop and continued northbound on the highway.
At one stage during the pursuit a civilian vehicle pulled in front of the vehicle being pursued in an attempt to slow it down.
Soon after the offending vehicle overtook the civilian driver and was road spiked further up the road near Coopernook.
Police attempted to arrest the driver who violently resisted causing minor injuries to two officers.
The male from south Queensland was taken to Forster Police Station where he was charged with menacing driving, resisting arrest and a number of traffic offences.
He will appear in Forster Local Court in February.
At the time of the incident there was a six-year-old child in the vehicle.
Please remember to move to the left when police vehicles under lights and sirens come behind you on the road and while wishing to assist by slowing down an offending vehicle this is a dangerous practice as you are not aware why the vehicle is failing to stop and also not aware of road spiking locations ahead.
