18/08/2024
Athenree Gorge Accident:
The Unintended Consequences of Wire Median Barriers
Scenario
Friday, 5 PM: The Athenree Gorge, usually a picturesque drive connecting Waihi to Katikati, becomes a scene of chaos and tragedy just before a long weekend.
At the 1.7km mark of the 2.2km stretch of the wire median barrier, passed Mathers Rd, heading towards Katikati, a car towing a trailer has a front tyre blowout, losses control, collides with the wire median barrier, and flips onto its roof. The trailer following suit, creates a cascade of collisions as the vehicles behind have no escape route.
The aftermath is immediate and severe. The car immediately behind the trailer crashed into it, followed by another car. The narrow lanes flanked by banks, barriers and the wire median barrier leave no room for manoeuvring, and debris scattered across the road adds to the mayhem.
The Delay in Response:
In the gorge's challenging terrain, cell coverage is almost non-existent. It can take around 15-20 minutes to notify emergency services. The emergency operator, unaware of the precise location and the nature of the wire barrier, dispatched help from Waihi.
As traffic behind the crash begins to back up, reaching about 200 meters long, the situation worsens. The narrow lanes and bumper-to-bumper congestion trap more and more vehicles, leaving no room for turning or escape.
40 Minutes after accident: The first emergency services, have to halt abruptly 300 meters from the scene, its progress blocked by traffic. Emergency responders from both sides of the gorge, including police and ambulance, find themselves similarly ensnared as debris from the accident has catapulted over and through the wire median barrier stopping traffic on the other side of the road.
Emergency Services in Gridlock:
1hr 15 minutes after the accident, the gridlock has now extended 500 meters along the road section with the wire Median barrier. Families heading away (Mums Dads, kids and the dog), workers heading home after a long day and elderly people are all trapped with no immediate access to water, Toilet facilities, or aid. Meanwhile, severely injured people one with a broken neck and another unconscious are awaiting urgent medical attention.
(Does the NZTA really care?)
Efforts to clear the road and allow emergency vehicles to travel up the wrong side of the gorge take another 30 minutes.
The narrowness of the road mean only one vehicle at a time can access the accident site, ambulances have to reverse up or out due to the inability to turn around.
Helicopter Landing Complications:
In such scenarios, rescue helicopters play a crucial role. However, in the Athenree Gorge, the helicopter cannot land in the middle of the road due to the wire median barrier and the rest area that could be used is now blocked by trucks and cars. Without a designated landing spot, the rescue operation face further delays.
The introduction of wire median barriers, while potentially life-saving in preventing head-on collisions, posed significant challenges in this incident. Their installation without sufficient road widening or consideration for emergency scenarios resulted in a protracted and hazardous rescue effort. One also of chaos and confusion for emergency services.
Reflections and Recommendations:
The traffic finally begins moving after 7 hours of gridlock, now 12pm at night.
After multiple tow trucks (one at a time) and a police crash unit has cleared the scene, the incident underscores the critical need for reevaluating road safety measures.
1. Emergency Access: Roads with wire median barriers must be assessed for emergency access and expanded if necessary to ensure that emergency vehicles can reach and exit accident sites promptly.
2. Helicopter Landing Zones: In the aftermath of a major accident the emergency helicopter often uses the road for landing due to the fact traffic can be diverted back away from the accident site. This cannot happen with wire Median Barriers. Designated helicopter landing zones should be identified and kept clear, especially in narrow and high-traffic areas like the Athenree Gorge. Even then the accident could be hundreds of meters away and patients may need to be hand delivered to the helicopter delaying possible life saving procedures.
3. Communication and Planning: Enhanced communication infrastructure in remote and challenging terrains can expedite emergency response. Clear protocols and training for dispatchers and responders regarding specific road conditions can save lives.
4. Road Conditions: Maintenance and appropriate road markings, such as double yellow rumble lines, should be prioritized to prevent accidents and facilitate safer navigation. Sections of the Road in the Athenree Gorge mainly going down into the gorge and around corners are still in an appalling state; this is on NZTA.
This scenario incident calls for a comprehensive review of safety measures and emergency response strategies in the Athenree Gorge and similar areas by children from the local school. While safety barriers are crucial, they must be implemented alongside infrastructure improvements that consider all aspects of road safety and emergency management.
By addressing these concerns and planning for unforeseen scenarios, it can ensure that the safety measures intended to save lives do not inadvertently endanger them.
What has NZTA done to address these problems?
