Residents attended a two-vehicle crash on April 7, in which eight people were injured, with one having to be helicoptered to Waikato Hospital.
Scammell said one resident was almost hit by two cars driving through the crash scene while trying to help the injured people before emergency services arrived.
The group has since invested in warning lights, torches, hi-vis gear, a fire extinguisher, emergency blankets and first-aid equipment.
Waiotahe resident Maree Scammell and her neighbours have put together a kit of safety gear to deal with crashes on their corner of State Highway 2, as they have become so frequent. Photo / Diane McCarthy
A bad crash in October was the catalyst for the residents to start campaigning for safety improvements.
Six people were injured in that accident, including a 5-year-old.
The group have been working with NZTA to have safety improvements made to the corner.
Nine improvements have been identified.
Scammell said NZTA had agreed to address some of these when it had a contractor available.
The problems include a recurring pothole, a drain that spills onto the road in wet weather, an overhanging palm tree that drops fronds, and no yellow no-passing lines.
NZTA was also looking into a different road surface that would give vehicles more traction.
Scammell said that, while some of the accidents could be attributed to “idiot drivers”, some could not.
“Some of the accidents have happened to responsible drivers. It only takes a moment of distraction. You hit a pothole and cross the road, or skid on a slippery palm frond and hit water. It can easily happen.”
Since a presentation at a mayoral forum by Eastern Bay of Plenty Road Safety Group member Gavin Dennis, on behalf of residents, NZTA staff had travelled to Waiotahe twice to meet residents.
The problem was that NZTA had little data to indicate a high crash rate on that particular corner, Scammell said.
“If they don’t know there is a problem, they can’t help. These guys are making an effort, but the road users need to make an effort too.”
She is urging anyone involved in, or witnessing, an accident to report it to police, even if they do so anonymously.
Debris from a recent crash near the Appleton Rd intersection of State Highway 2 at Waiotahe.
“There needs to be a record of accidents in the area for NZTA to be able to recognise that there is a problem.”
The group has also spoken to a school bus company, which has welcomed its suggestion that the bus should let students off where they will not be wandering across the road.
They would also like to have the speed limit reduced on the corner, and have an electronic “Slow down” sign placed on the site. However, speed reductions require a lengthy legislative process, so this has become a long-term goal.
Ōpōtiki Mayor David Moore has long been lobbying NZTA for safety improvements on roads in the district, including State Highway 2 between Wainui and Ōpōtiki.
“This is not the role of the council or the mayor, but it’s something you have to get involved in, or nothing gets done. We have to go in to bat for the residents to get what they deserve,” he said.
“Because of Maree’s hard work, there have been some issues identified by Waka Kotahi.”
He agreed that the number of crashes was not being reflected in NZTA records.
“We’ve been asking people to make sure that they report it if there is an accident. The more the better.”
Earlier this year, NZTA said its data for that particular stretch of road did not indicate a particularly high crash rate, but the data relied on crashes being attended by, or reported to, police.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.