EDDINGTON’S weekend horror crash is firing up locals who say they have been calling for a speed-limit reduction for years.
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The front end of a Toyota sedan was ripped from the rest of its body in a two-car crash on a sweeping bend at Eddington on Sunday afternoon.
The driver of the Toyota sedan, a 22-year-old man, was flown to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition.
A hospital spokeswoman confirmed late yesterday the man was in a serious, but stable condition.
Eddington resident Graeme Freemantle, who was one of the first at the scene of the accident, said the bend snuck up on people travelling into town via the Bendigo-Maryborough Road.
Mr Freemantle and other Eddington residents, including Eddington Engineering part-owner Norm Morrison, want the section of the Bendigo-Maryborough Road’s speed limit reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h.
“We’ve campaigned to get this done for about 25 or 30 years and nothing’s happened,” Mr Freemantle said.
“It’s controlled by VicRoads and they don’t see it as a high fatality area and I think, well, it’s already had two fatalities and one near-fatality.
“What happens is people come along here and they’re hooking over the bridge and hit the bend and they just lose it.”
Mr Morrision said he’d seen quite a few near misses where Sunday’s smash occurred.
“It would be really good if something would happen now,” he said. “But I’m not getting my hopes up.
“They (VicRoads) might take a bit of notice for a few days now it’s getting media attention, but who knows if anything will ever happen.”
Sunday’s smash landed in the front yard of an Eddington couple, who did not wish to be named, with the exhaust pipe from the Toyota sedan smashing into their home’s window.
The couple showed the Bendigo Advertiser yesterday where the driver had crawled out of the car, leaving blood on the cement.
“I was actually coming out of the kitchen when I heard a huge explosion,” the woman said.
“All I saw were debris flying at me... I thought the car was going to come through the house. Boy I moved.”
Loddon Shire mayor-elect Geoffrey Curnow said the section of road was under VicRoads’ control but he was listening to the community’s concerns.
“The majority of people drive who there at 100km/h would possibly be angered by a speed restriction,” he said.
“And yet access to the main road is quite dangerous for local people... I am happy to talk with people about their concerns.”
VicRoads were contacted for comment and said they would provide information on the crash to the Bendigo Advertiser tomorrow.