Extra road safety education will be offered to young people in a bid to prevent any more fatal crashes like the one which killed five teenagers in Timaru over the weekend.
The boys, aged between 15 and 16, were killed after their overloaded car smashed into a power pole with such force the vehicle was split in two.
A 19-year-old man, the driver of the vehicle, survived the crash.
The 19-year-old remains in hospital and still hasn't been interviewed by police. (Source: Other)
Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen met with police to discuss road safety education, with a focus on being proactive to prevent similar incidents from occurring.
"A major concern is that we don't [want to] have any other deaths," he said.
"This is an issue for us as a society and a community to make sure that everyone on our roads will be safe and feel safe,” Canterbury District Commander Superintendent John Price said.
Local motelier John Doak said he saw a crash like this one coming.
“Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, there are boy racers up and down all the roads around Timaru and they're out in the country speeding, but it’s every weekend,” he said.
Doak started a petition for change four years ago, but claims his concerns weren’t acted on.
“Did it need to have something like this to get them into a meeting? It's something that if they would just come here and watch, they would see that there is a problem,” he said.
The driver of an overcrowded vehicle crash into a power pole in Washdyke. (Source: Other)
Police said while the crash did not involve boy racers, it has highlighted the importance of driver education.
“This isn't about looking back, this is about looking forward to the safety of our community,” Price said.
A car meet will take place to remember the boys tomorrow night, monitored closely by police.
“It’s great they remember their friends and family in a way that’s befitting to them but let’s be safe so we don't have any more road fatalities,” Bowen said.
The first of the five funerals will be held today.
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