Three Bangladeshi vacationers from the same family were killed in a head-on collision while another member battled for his or her life in the hospital on the way to Canberra.
The family was trapped inside the red Toyota hatchback when it crashed with a white Toyota van on Sunday near a notorious black spot on Canberra’s western suburbs. Rescuers had to cut the vehicle into parts to free the family.
Police have verified that the three victims, all Bangladeshi nationals traveling to Australia on tourist visas, perished at the scene on Coppins Crossing Road.
Along with a younger relative, Roni, age 21, Shahid and Sri Khan, ages 61 and 54, also passed away at the scene.
The driver, Rashed, who is in his 20s, was taken in an ambulance to Canberra Hospital and is still there in a serious condition.
At the time, the family was on vacation in the nation’s capital.
“Some fatalities are intolerable. Everything comes to a sudden halt with some unexpected news. One of my relatives commented on Facebook, “My brother-in-law along with cousin Roni has died and eldest brother Dr. Rashed is in ICU pray for him so that Allah protects him.”
May Allah provide blessings to everybody in paradise.
Another cousin, Abdullah Sarkar, claimed his uncle Shahid frequented his store and that the news had come as a “big shock” to the whole family.
The Toyota van’s driver was also taken in a critical condition by ambulance to the hospital.
The deaths bring the ACT’s road toll for 2022 to 17 people.
The two young girls who died on the Monaro Highway in Hume a week ago were killed in the collision, which happened less than 25 kilometers away.
Later, a 16-year-old kid was accused with negligent driving causing two fatalities on two separate occasions.
Police have issued a warning after the most recent deadly collision, urging drivers to be cautious and slow down on the roadways.
Lower speeds make people safer on the roadways, but we won’t speculate at this time since it’s an ongoing inquiry, Detective Superintendent Mick Calatzis said.
“Slow down, it’s simply basic sense.” No one will suffer if you arrive a minute or two later. You must return to your family in good health.
All of the personnel who worked at the accident site will get assistance, according to ACT Fire and Rescue’s Jim Walsh, to ensure that their well-being is taken care of.
Locals who have voiced concerns about the road for at least ten years claim that Coppins Crossing Road is a “known collision site” and is “full of pot holes.”
According to Bill Gremmel of the Weston Creek Community Council, “The place where the incident happened, the signage is vague, it’s pretty much a construction track being utilized nearly as an arterial route.”
It carries a lot of traffic and serves as the primary connection between Woden, Weston Creek, Molonglo, and the western portions of Belconnen.
It soon narrows from a very broad two-lane road (John Gorton Drive) to a single-lane road going in each direction (Coppins Crossing Road), all while being on a downward slope.
The collision is still under investigation by the police, who have also prepared a report for the coroner.
Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-333-TIPS or use a dashcam.