Death of men in Kihikihi crash avoidable

A car at the centre of a double fatality crash in Kihikihi early Saturday evening had been stopped by Police for speeding earlier in the day.

Waikato District Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said the death of two 25-year-old Otorohanga men was all the more tragic because the crash was totally avoidable.

"Our officers have had to inform the families of Justin Michael AIKMAN and Shannon Thomas HEPI that their loved ones have died in circumstances that should never have occurred.

"The crash happened at the intersection of Rolleston and Whitmore Streets after the driver of the Honda car the dead men were passengers in, failed to give way at an intersection."

Mr Tooman said speed and the not wearing of seat belts were confirmed factors in the crash while the Serious Crash Unit was still working to establish what, if any, part alcohol played in the incident.

"The driver of the southbound Honda has been interviewed and told Police he thought he was still driving on an open stretch of road despite travelling through four intersections in a residential area before his vehicle crashed into the westbound Subaru.

"The two men killed were thrown out of the Honda as it rolled, it's too early to be 100 per cent sure but it appears had they been wearing their seatbelts they may have survived the crash."

Four people, including the driver of the Subaru, were taken to Waikato Hospital by ambulance, earlier reports that there were four occupants in the Honda are incorrect, there were five people travelling in the car.

The injured were aged 16, 20, 28 and 29 and suffered a variety of minor to moderate injuries.

Investigators had identified some inconsistencies in media coverage over the crash and were urging any witnesses who hadn't already spoken to Police to make contact with them.

Mr Tooman said the Kihikihi crash was the District's first multiple fatality of the year and came just five hours before Emergency Services would have marked a fatal free month of July.

"The tragedy of it all is this crash stems from not getting the basics right, here we have two young men who won't be coming home as a result of not giving way, driving too fast and not wearing their seatbelts."

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