The Axe Creek Fire Brigade is warning drivers not to be complacent on country roads after three crashes at or near the intersection of the Axe Creek and Sutton Grange roads in less than 12 months.
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Brigade captain Neil Irving-Dusting said the crashes on Axe Creek Road in Sedgwick came as he noticed a rise in the number of motor vehicle incidents over the past two years.
The brigade attended a crash on Axe Creek Road last Friday afternoon.
A car was just over 600 metres north of the Sutton Grange Road intersection, on a straight stretch, when its wheels hit dirt on the side of the road, Bendigo Highway Patrol acting Sergeant Lee Clayton said.
He said the crash was caused by the driver’s lapse in concentration.
Mr Irving-Dusting said many of the crashes the Axe Creek Brigade had been called to across the region in the past two years were for single vehicle incidents as drivers passed through on their way to places like Bendigo and Melbourne.
Eppalock resident Nigel Wheadon drove to and from Melbourne most weekdays for work and was not surprised to hear about an increase in CFA call-outs to road incidents.
“On my route you can tell people who use the road regularly and those who don’t,” he said.
“You can tell by their driving style. Also, people who know those roads know where the hazards are.”
Below: CFA captain Neil Irving-Dusting says there have been three crashes at or near an Axe Creek Road intersection in 12 Months.
Regulars knew how and when to avoid rougher patches, especially on stretches between Kyneton and Redesdale, as well as towards Bendigo.
“You know those who aren’t regular users because all of a sudden they hit the bump, or try to avoid it at the last minute,” he said.
Those drivers were often worse at dealing with wildlife, swerving when kangaroos crossed their path instead of just breaking, Mr Wheadon said.
After spending so much time commuting down to Melbourne, Mr Wheadon had honed a number of techniques to help stay alert while driving.
“In the mornings I try to change it up between various radio stations,” he said.
“I listen to audiobooks at night. They keep you more alert because all of a sudden you are invested in the story. It’s like reading a good book you can’t put down, you have to listen to it.”
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