By Shamsiya Hussainpoor
Monbulk residents are once again left shaken after a serious car accident occurred on Sunday morning, 6 April, at approximately 9.30am on the Olinda-Monbulk Road.
This is the second such incident in less than two months, which has sparked renewed concerns about the road’s safety, particularly for residents trying to exit their driveways.
A local resident, Leharna Black witnessed the aftermath of the crash, where a young man’s car had rolled over after attempting to avoid a collision with a vehicle overtaking a cyclist on a blind bend.
“There was screeching tires and a crash, then I came down to see a car upside down in the downhill lane,” Ms Black said.
“He tried to swerve to avoid a head-on collision, but with no verge or footpath, he ended up driving up the cliff, and the car flipped over.”
The driver, a 20-year-old man, was extremely lucky to escape without life-threatening injuries.
Ms Black said the young man was “pretty shaken up” but managed to decline medical help, despite appearing to be in shock.
“He really should have been taken to the hospital, but he didn’t want to – youth and fear got in the way of his decision-making,” she said.
The car that caused the accident – another vehicle overtaking the cyclist – did not stop to offer assistance, and neither did the cyclist involved.
Police are investigating, though the hit-and-run nature of the incident has left residents feeling frustrated and concerned.
The young driver involved in the crash shared his account of the incident.
“When I came over the crest, I saw a car on my side of the road overtaking a bicycle. I tried to avoid the accident by swerving toward the gutter, but there wasn’t enough room,” the driver said.
“My car mounted the side of the hill and then flipped onto its roof. The driver who caused the accident didn’t stop.”
When asked about the causes of the crash, the driver acknowledged that poor visibility is a recurring issue in the area.
This incident is the latest in a string of accidents tied to poor visibility and speeding on this stretch of road.
The lack of proper maintenance of foliage, which blocks drivers’ sightlines when exiting their properties, has been a long-standing issue for many locals living there.
Ms Black said she and her neighbours have repeatedly voiced their concerns to VicRoads, calling for better road maintenance and safety measures – despite promises of action, progress has been slow.
A spokesperson for the Department of Transport and Planning said expert crews routinely inspect the entire arterial road network to identify safety issues and potential upgrades.
When assessing possible safety improvements, a variety of factors are taken into account, including the road environment, types of road users, the site’s safety history, and the potential impact on the surrounding road network.
“We’ll continue to undertake regular inspections of the arterial road network, including along Olinda-Monbulk Road, and perform maintenance as needed,” the spokesperson said.
“Safety on our roads is everyone’s responsibility, and we urge anyone getting behind the wheel to stay alert, be mindful of everyone using our roads, drive to the conditions, and obey speed limits and safety signage.”
Residents living along that road has had enough.
“It’s a nightmare trying to get out of our driveways safely,” she said.
“We’ve all experienced this same issue, and yet the Department of Transport hasn’t addressed it. It feels like they’re waiting for something serious to happen before they take us seriously.”
This particular section of Olinda-Monbulk Road is notorious for its narrow lanes and sharp bends, making it difficult for drivers to see oncoming traffic.
Residents, who have repeatedly called for improvements like a convex mirror or speed dampening measures, are frustrated by the lack of action.
Monbulk CFA, along with police, responded to the scene of the crash, but the damage done to the car and the precarious situation of the driver highlight the ongoing dangers in the area.
Ms Black expressed deep concern that more serious accidents might be inevitable unless immediate changes are made to the road’s design and maintenance.
