Methven mum Rebecca Dirk is relieved to see safety upgrades to a rural intersection where her son was involved in a crash.
Dirk said as a local, her 17-year-old son David had been aware of the risks at the well-known ‘‘danger spot’’.
The intersection of State Highway 77 and Thompsons Track has been the location of several crashes and near misses.
While travelling through there last month, David spotted a vehicle travelling along Thompson Track towards the intersection and not slowing down as they approached a Give Way, so David slowed down instead.
Her son’s tentative approach had saved his life, as the other vehicle drove straight out into his path, she said.
“It’s lucky he saw them coming and hit the brakes, or it could have been much worse.’’
The intersection is currently undergoing a safety upgrade, following a request by the district council earlier in the year to NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), after a spate of incidents.
Ashburton deputy mayor and Methven resident Liz McMillan had “never been so glad to see a road cone in my life” when NZTA contractors started the safety upgrade last week.
McMillan said the black spot for crashes and near misses had seen a spike in incidents this year.
The Give Way on the western side of Thompsons Track will become a Stop sign.
Concrete splitter islands on both sides of the intersection are being constructed, providing gated Stop signage on both sides, and gated advanced warning Stop signage.
The work was expected to be completed this week.
