Bulli Intersection Worst Black Spot

Illawarra Mercury

Friday October 13, 2006

By MEGAN LEVY

THIS is the Illawarra's most dangerous intersection, according to one of the nation's leading car insurers.

The intersection of the Princes Hwy and Park Rd at Bulli was yesterday branded the region's worst intersection black spot in NRMA Insurance's list of the state's 101 worst locations.

Twenty crashes were reported to the NRMA at the site in the last financial year, narrowly edging out the intersection of Crown St and Station St in Wollongong for the region's worst black spot.

Eighteen crashes were recorded at that site in the same period.

Leading the state's black list were two intersections on the M4 in Sydney.

Sydney's Epping Rd was also a major black spot for accidents, caused largely by temporary changes to road conditions during the construction of the Lane Cove Tunnel.

NRMA Insurance head of research Robert McDonald said the Lane Cove Tunnel's construction forced many drivers to alter their regular travel routes, which could explain the increase in collisions. Of the top 101 sites across NSW, Bulli was ranked number 69, while the Wollongong site was ranked 79.

Senior Constable John Reilly from Wollongong Highway Patrol said the Bulli intersection was at the top of an incline, which could impede drivers' vision as they approached the traffic lights.

"They may be going a little bit too fast and someone is turning there, which could lead to a rear-end collision," he said.

However police intelligence suggested that intersection was no worse than others in the area.

Other hot spots in the region, which narrowly missed out on making the top 101 list, were intersections at Springhill Rd and Masters Rd (15 crashes), Forest Rd and the Princes Hwy at South Nowra (14), and Five Islands Rd and the Princes Hwy at Unanderra (13). The Unanderra intersection was the worst black spot in the previous year.

Mr McDonald said most accidents at the Bulli site involved motorists running into the back of other cars, accounting for 56 per cent of all crashes.

A further 28 per cent occurred while vehicles were turning.

"Driver inattention including the use of in-car distractions such as mobile phones as well as poor merging skills frequently contribute to the high number of rear-end collisions on our roads," Mr McDonald said.

DANGER ZONES

The region's worst intersection black spots, according to NRMA Insurance:

1 - Bulli - Park Rd and the Princes Hwy, 20 crashes

2 - Wollongong - Crown St and Station St, 18

3 - Spring Hill - Masters Rd and Springhill Rd, 15

4 - South Nowra - Forest Rd and Princes Hwy, 14

5 - Unanderra - Five Islands Rd, Princes Hwy, 13

*Data is based on NRMA Insurance motor vehicle comprehensive claims, July 2005-June 2006.

© 2006 Illawarra Mercury

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