By Jessica Anstice
Residents along an increasingly busy country road fear its speed limit will contribute to more crash tragedies.
The speed limit along Cardinia Road in Pakenham, between the Princes Freeway and Patterson Road, is currently 100km/h.
However residents are pushing for the speed limit to be reduced to 80km/h.
Moving houses has crossed resident Brett Furguson’s mind, as concerns heighten for him and his family’s safety when pulling out of their driveway onto Cardinia Road.
“The place I rent has a driveway pretty obscured from traffic,” he explained.
“The tenant who lived there before had a horrible smash when trying to get out of the driveway.
“I have daughters who drive now and cringe every time they drive out. It’s a dirt driveway with potholes which makes it even harder to get out.”
With the speed limit along Kooweerup-Healesville Road at 90km/h, motorists often use Cardinia Road as a shortcut from Pakenham through to the Cranbourne area.
One of the most recent major crashes on Cardinia Road was in July last year, when a ute with a trailer load of bricks collided head-on with a truck.
“People are passing other cars when going past the driveway and I have had three near misses as I have to drive off the road to get out of the way,” Mr Furguson added.
“100km/h is the speed limit and should be dropped to 80km/h.
“I have contacted VicRoads and they still say the speed limit will stay.”
A former resident, who has asked not to be named, lived on Cardinia Road for seven years before making the move to escape the dangerous road.
Over the years he witnessed some horrific accidents on the corners, which required an air ambulance on more than one occasion.
“I was run into twice while turning into our own driveway by people who openly admitted that they didn’t see us stopped on the road,” he said.
“We were abused for coming out of our own driveway. Abused for slowing down to turn into our own driveway.
“People use it as a freeway between Pakenham and Cranbourne and forget that it is a rural residential road.”
VicRoads has been contacted for comment.
