South Australia is grappling with a string of serious and fatal crashes across the state, with police responding to seven major incidents in just four days — from an 18‑car pile‑up on a major motorway to multiple regional tragedies claiming young lives.
Monday Morning Chaos on the North–South Motorway
Motorists heading into Adelaide from the northern suburbs faced heavy delays on Monday, about 7am, after two separate crashes on the North–South Motorway at Bolivar and Dry Creek. Over a dozen vehicles had to be towed from the scene, with two people taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Critical Crash Near Murray Bridge
In a separate crash on Monday, a 40‑year‑old Lake Plains man was left fighting for life when his ute slammed into a tree at Brinkley, near Murray Bridge in the state’s Murraylands region about 6.30am. He was transported to hospital in a critical condition via helicopter. The Murraylands crash was the eighth serious crash on the notorious Brinkley Rd since 2020, with three people dying on the road in six years, including a cyclist hit by a car in 2021, and two motorcyclists who ran off the road in 2020.
Fatal Pedestrian Incident in the South-East
In a third crash on Monday, police were called to Eight Mile Creek in the state’s south-east about 6.40am after reports a van struck a pedestrian, prompting closures across Galpins Rd. The pedestrian, a 70-year-old man from overseas, sadly died at the scene. The driver of the van, a 31-year-old Port Macdonnell man, is assisting police with their enquiries.
Weekend of Tragedy: Four Fatalities
The horror incidents on Monday followed a series of tragedies over the weekend, with four dying in separate incidents. At Coober Pedy, an 84‑year‑old man died after his mobility scooter was hit by a Toyota station wagon on Thursday, succumbing to his injuries on Saturday. In the state’s south-east, a 17‑year‑old cyclist from Compton was killed at OB Flat, near Mount Gambier, after a collision with a Honda sedan about 3pm on Saturday. The driver has since been charged with causing death by careless use. On the same day, a 23‑year‑old Salisbury Downs motorcyclist died at Findon after crashing into a parked car about 11.20pm. Police allege he wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. On Friday night, a 44‑year‑old Morphett Vale woman was killed when her Toyota ute rolled on Port Wakefield Highway at Windsor about 11pm. SAPOL said major crash officers were investigating each incident.
Premier Malinauskas on Driver Distraction
On Monday, Premier Peter Malinauskas said the crashes highlighted the state’s growing challenge with driver distraction. “How frustrating is it that people are still not getting the message,” he said. “The single biggest cause of car accidents is now human inattentiveness, driver distraction. Once upon a time, it was people not wearing seat belts. Then it became drink driving. Now the issue is people looking at their phone.” He said cultural change was possible, but required “effort and campaigning” — something he said the government was focused on.
