The driver of the other vehicle pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death in 2022, admitting he was distracted talking to his passenger.<\/p>\n
Josh Geary (left) and Shane Carnell pictured in 2021 after the death of Maree Geary. Photo \/ George Novak<\/p>\n
Geary told the Bay of Plenty Times this morning that he believed a barrier between the road and the water \u201cwould have definitely stopped\u201d his mother\u2019s vehicle from entering the estuary.<\/p>\n
Geary said he believed the stretch of road, particularly near the Bay Central entrance, needed better protection.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a definite problem, especially by that intersection.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving no safety barriers that close to an intersection with that kind of depth of water is pretty crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bay of Plenty Times previously reported the 2021 crash prompted an investigation<\/a> by police and Tauranga City Council.<\/p>\n In 2022, the council confirmed no changes to the site would be recommended as a result.<\/p>\n Then-council director of transport Brendan Bisley said staff were satisfied the site was safe for motorists \u201cin normal circumstances\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThe circumstances that caused the [2021] accident are unique and sadly resulted in a tragic outcome for a family.\u201d<\/p>\n \u014ct\u016bmoetai councillor Glen Crowther told the Bay of Plenty Times today he had raised concerns about safety on Chapel St and believed the latest crash warranted a fresh look at potential improvements.<\/p>\n Crowther said he raised the possibility of a safety barrier more than a year ago, but was unsure what had happened to the issue in terms of council work programme priorities.<\/p>\n \u201cI definitely think we need to look at all the options and figure out what is best practice there.\u201d<\/p>\n He cautioned that barriers had limits and their effectiveness would depend on factors such as the speed of a vehicle and the force of an impact.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a point at which a barrier is helpful and there\u2019s a point at which it\u2019s probably not going to [be].\u201d<\/p>\n Crowther said he did not have enough information about the latest crash or the circumstances of previous incidents to say whether a barrier could have prevented them.<\/p>\n Council transport system operations manager Shawn Geard said safety barriers remained under consideration for Chapel St.<\/p>\n Geard said a pedestrian and cyclist barrier beside the Waikareao Estuary was assessed as part of a 2023 business case but was not progressed after the project failed to secure Government funding.<\/p>\n More recently, the council investigated fencing along the waterfront section of Chapel St, but design constraints, complexity and cost meant no funding had been allocated.<\/p>\n After today\u2019s crash, Geard said the council would review the circumstances of the incident and further investigate potential improvements, including barriers, fencing and path upgrades.<\/p>\n \u201cWe cannot comment further until the police investigation into the cause of the incident is complete as this will help inform our investigation into potential improvements along Chapel St.\u201d<\/p>\n He said a review of the national Crash Analysis System identified two recorded incidents involving vehicles entering the water from Chapel St.<\/p>\n In November 2022, two 19-year-olds escaped injury after the one driving lost control and their car plunged backwards<\/a> into Tauranga Harbour off Chapel St.<\/p>\n The driver told SunLive the vehicle hit a water-covered white line before he lost control. Both occupants managed to escape after the car became submerged.<\/p>\nTwo police divers entered the water for the vehicle recovery operation and investigation today. Photo \/ Zoe Blake<\/p>\n
A recovery crew removes a BMW from Tauranga’s Waikareao Estuary on Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n