Van roll a reminder to drive to the winter conditions

Three men were extremely fortunate to escape injury on Thursday when the van they were travelling in rolled after losing control on a bend on State Highway 6 just between the Kelvin Heights turnoff and Boyd Road around midday.

Otago Lakes road policing manager Senior Sergeant Steve Watt says a 34-year-old man and work colleagues were travelling towards Jack’s Point in the van.

“As they approached the 55km/hr it appears that the vehicle has pulled to the left and the driver has subsequently lost control causing the vehicle to roll onto its side,” Watt says. “Wet roads and driver inexperience appear to have been factors in the crash.”

There were no injuries to the driver, or his passengers, and the crash only caused minimal disruption to traffic flows.

“Winter is upon us and with that brings a change in our roading conditions,” Watt says. “Drivers need to take into account the changing conditions on our roads and ensure that they drive to those conditions.”