THREE people have died on Hunter roads within less than 48 hours after two men were killed in separate incidents in Lake Macquarie on Thursday afternoon.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The two fatalities, a motorcyclist at Cooranbong and a pedestrian at Morisset, led Lake Macquarie Police Commander, Acting Superintendent David Matthews, to issue a plea for motorists and pedestrians to "switch on".
"A moment of inattention while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, or a moment of inattention whilst crossing the road as a pedestrian, can result in injury or death," he said late on Thursday.
"I'd just ask the motoring public in Lake Macquarie, and our pedestrians, please switch on. Be aware that when you're behind the wheel of a motor vehicle that there's a lot of responsibility and when it goes wrong, it can go very wrong."
The pair of fatalities on Thursday occurred within the space of an hour and less than 10 kilometres apart.
A male motorcyclist died after a crash involving a car and motorcycle on Freemans Drive, at the intersection of Martinsville Road, in Cooranbong about 1.30pm
About an hour earlier a male pedestrian died after being by a car on Fishery Point Road in Morisset.
Both men died at the scenes as a result of their injuries, Acting Superintendent Matthews said.
"Both the rider of the motorcycle and the pedestrian who was killed at Morisset remain unidentified and the next of kin are yet to be advised," he said.
"I'm not in a position to provide details of who was at fault or the mechanics of what occurred at the crash scenes."
Acting Superintendent Matthews said said bystanders at both scenes commenced CPR or assisted those who had been injured.
The motor vehicle drivers from the two scenes were taken away for mandatory drug and alcohol testing.
Police closed a number of roads in light of the crashes on Thursday afternoon, including Freemans Drive, Martinsville Road and Fishery Point Road.
The closures, which extended through peak hours, caused significant delays for motorists attempting to navigate their way through south-west Lake Macquarie.
Authorities were forced to establish a designated pick-up spot for school children along a disused service station on Freemans Drive for parents unable to pass the crash scenes. Students were bused to the area.
The two road tragedies on Thursday take the region's road toll this week to three following the death of a pedestrian in Adamstown on Tuesday afternoon.
A 35-year-old woman suffered critical injuries after she was struck by a school bus carrying 16 children on Brunker Road.
Investigators are seeking dash-cam vision or witnesses to any of the three incidents to contact police.