IT’S been a horror weekend on New England roads with two lives lost and several others injured in two separate crashes.
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Investigators spent the weekend piecing together the moments before the two fatal collisions on Saturday at Glencoe and at Ashford, near Inverell.
Several of the injured remain in hospital with various injuries, police said.
About 10.30am, emergency services rushed to Graman Road at Ashford after two cars collided head-on.
The driver of one of the cars died at the scene and two passengers, including a 17-year-old girl, in the car were trapped for some time, police said.
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Rescue crews managed to free the passengers and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked, airlifting the pair to Gold Coast University Hospital.
Police said one of the passengers was in a critical condition and the second was listed as serious.
A passenger in the second car was flown to Tamworth hospital in a serious condition.
Police said the driver was not injured but was taken to hospital for mandatory testing.
New England police are investigating the cause of the crash, backed by officers from the Crash Investigation Unit.
Meanwhile, officers are appealing for help from anyone who might have seen the hatchback before it crashed into a tree at Glencoe, south of Glen Innes.
It’s understood the southbound car left the New England Highway and crashed into ditch then a tree shortly before 5am.
The man behind the wheel, believed to be in his thirties, was killed, while his male passenger, also in his thirties, suffered serious injuries.
He was airlifted by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter to Tamworth hospital in a stable condition.
Police will now prepare a brief for the coroner to determine the cause of both crashes.
The crashes came just 24 hours after a call for caution from the New England’s top cop.
On Friday, Superintendent Scott Tanner said extra police would be on the roads as school holidays wrapped up.
“It is not only fatal crashes that are devastating for the community and families but serious injury crashes can also leave behind a lifetime of suffering,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the vast majority of what we see in these crashes are preventable, they have causes and we can prevent those causes.”
For many schools, Monday is a pupil-free day and officers will be out in force, especially for those travelling home from a long weekend or who ignore speed zones.
Superintendent Tanner said now more than ever police were “targeting the fatal five” and carrying out RBTs and speed checks.
“For those travelling, consideration should be given to the dangers of drink/drug driving, speeding, restraints and unsafe or illegal driving behaviour,” he said.
“When we say this we mean not only you, but also consider what other road users may be doing.”