A FEMALE driver was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition after the vehicle she was driving left the road and hit a tree at Whittingham on Thursday.
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The 19-year-old Scone woman was travelling in a northerly direction along the New England Highway when the accident occured and there were no other vehicles involved.
The NEH was closed in both directions four kilometres south of Singleton near the former Aussie Trees nursery and traffic diverted while emergency services attended the scene.
Paramedics arrived to find the woman trapped in her car, a white Nissan Hatchback, and the ambulance rescue vehicle had to be deployed.
Once the young woman was extricated from the vehicle she was treated her for spinal injuries.
With the Anzac Day long weekend starting today NSW Police are urging all motorists to ‘Go Slow’ and remain patient on the state’s roads ahead of the Anzac Day long weekend and end of school holidays.
Last year (2013) during the Anzac Day holiday period, five people died on NSW roads, while 263 people were injured in 741 major crashes.
Operation ‘Go Slow,’ which started at 12.01am last night (Thursday 24 April 2014) and continues until 11.59pm on Sunday (27 April 2014), includes double demerits for speeding, seatbelt, and motorcycle-helmet offences.
Officers will be a highly-visible presence on the roads as part of a two-week traffic blitz encompassing Easter, Anzac Day and the school holidays – where drivers are being urged to ‘make their trip count’ to ensure they don’t become a statistic.
They will be targeting speeding, seatbelt use, alcohol rand drug-affected drivers, fatigue and distraction.
Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander, Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, said the message was clear: drivers need to be well prepared and remain patient in traffic.
“Motorists need to plan their journey, ensuring they leave plenty of travel time to get to their destination, and take adequate rest breaks.
“They also need to wear seatbelts and go slow; ensure they are not speeding and not under the influence.
“Drivers need to share the road; we do not want a repeat of last year where five people tragically died on NSW roads during the Anzac Day long weekend.
“There will be a large number of people on our major highways returning home from holidays, so we are urging drivers to use caution and remain patient in traffic. Do not get frustrated and take unnecessary risks,” Assistant Commissioner Hartley said.