By BRIDGET COOK
THE grandfather of the teenage girl left fighting for her life after a fiery crash in Cranbourne last week has urged motorist to use the crash as a reminder to take care on the roads.
Four local teenagers were injured when the two cars they were traveling in collided along the South Gippsland Highway about 11.30pm on Thursday night.
Nineteen-year-old Cranbourne woman Danica Pringle, who was the passenger in the Ford involved in the collision, suffered life threatening injuries and was flown by air ambulance to The Alfred hospital where she remains in a critical condition.
Her grandfather Bob Pringle said the tragedy had devastated the family but hoped that the crash would remind people to take as much care as they could on the roads.
“If this accident prevents even just one crash of this nature then at least something’s been achieved,” he said.
“I urge everyone on our roads, not just kids, that have seen what has happened to stop and think about how they drive and, hopefully, we won’t see another tragedy like this.”
Mr Pringle said he was not suggesting that the drivers were doing anything wrong, but said it was still a timely reminder for all drivers to be careful when behind the wheel.
Having previously served with the police force for 22 years and with the Highway Patrol for 17, Mr Pringle said only this week has he realised just how much accidents like these affected so many people.
“I have attended the scene of many serious crashes and fatalities,” he said.
“It really hit home this week though and I’ve been able to see just how much of an impact a crash like this has on so many people, right through the whole family and friends.
“One thing that has stuck out for me this week is how much the compassion the kids of Cranbourne have and are all hoping the best for Danica.”
Mr Pringle urged people to think about how many loved ones, and even strangers, can be impacted when such a tragedy occurs.
Police are still investigating the crash and would like to talk to the occupants of a car seen driving behind the two vehicles that crashed, and either slowed down or stopped at the scene.
Police said a Holden Commodore and a Ford Falcon were travelling side by side in the south bound lanes of the South Gippsland Highway before the crash occurred.
Police believe that the driver of the Ford, which was travelling in the inside lane, lost control of his vehicle and hit the Commodore.
Both cars ran off the road way, mounted the centre median strip and collided with a concrete pole, police said.
The drivers of the two cars, both men, suffered minor injuries while the male passenger in the Holden suffered serious injuries.
Police were left dumbfounded just days after the crash when they intercepted an unlicensed driver, with five teenage passengers in the car, just up the road from crash.
After intercepting the vehicle on Monday, police found four teenagers crammed into the back seat and the male driver, 18, was unlicensed.
Of the two male and three female passengers in the car, one wasn’t wearing a seatbelt while two others had stretched the one seatbelt across them.
The vehicle was impounded for 30 days under hoon legislation and the driver is expected to be charged with a range of traffic offences.
Anyone with any information on the crash is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
