Fix SA’s risky roads
It was a drive Axel Larsen’s wife Leslie always dreaded. The route from Giles Corner to Gawler can be hazardous at the best of times, but in her line of work as a paramedic, Leslie had more than herself to worry about.
“That road has always been in such a bad condition that people in the back of an ambulance are at risk,” Mr Larsen says. ‘That road’ is Horrocks Highway, a 247km stretch of road that takes motorists from Gawler to Wilmington. You might know it as Main North Rd, or simply the road to the Clare Valley.
Mr Larsen, who has been a member of both the Saddleworth SES and CFS teams for more than 25 years, knows it better as a nightmare waiting to happen. While the unit covers just a small patch of the highway, he has responded to more than 20 crashes in his time as a volunteer, the majority of which resulted in serious injuries or fatalities. Because they never know exactly what to expect, every time a call comes in, it’s time-critical. “Rescue and emergency vehicles are always dealing with poor conditions on that road; when you’re travelling priority one with sirens and lights and still can’t drive past 80km/h you know there’s a problem,” he says. “Theoretically it could end up costing a life, and perhaps that’s something people don’t think about.”
Saddleworth SES member Axel Larsen says emergency services also suffer from dodgy roads.
We’re also calling for a commitment to duplicate the stretch of Victor Harbor Rd from Main South Rd to Mount Compass. RAA’s general manager of Engagement and Innovation, Penny Gale, says the roads were prioritised after extensive member consultation. “Road trauma affects the broader community in many different ways,” she says. “To prevent this, we want to see our roads fixed, on behalf of our 700,000 members and the wider motoring community. “There’s been a backlog on maintenance for SA roads for a long time now and these two roads are simply an example of what we’re seeing state-wide.”