Motorists urged to drive safely after 'shocking' weekend on region's roads

"We've had five fatalities over the last few days. It's been an absolutely shocking weekend, the loss of life on our roads," Peel Highway Patrol manager Inspector Kelly Wixx told the Leader.

Incidents in Gunnedah, Tambar Springs, and Armidale have torn families apart and contributed to an abnormally-high road toll across the state.

"At the moment, the state has recorded 38 fatalities across NSW, which is 11 up from this time last year," Inspector Wixx said.

She said motorists must start driving more carefully, otherwise we risk repeating 2023's "horror year" on the region's roads.

"Please obey the road rules, please obey speed zones, and just be aware of your surroundings," Inspector Wixx pleaded.

"If a road is severely degraded, please reduce your speed. If it's raining please be aware wet roads can often be slippery and you can lose control of your car."

Roads in the Oxley-New England region have seen five deaths in 2024 so far, all of which stem from just three incidents on Friday and Saturday last week.

All three incidents are still under investigation and police are asking the public to come forward with any information.

The first incident claimed the life of a 69-year-old man after his car suddenly left the highway and crashed.

At around 10:30am on Friday, February 9, emergency services were called to the intersection of the Oxley Highway and Hunts Road, about 4 kilometres west of Gunnedah.

On arrival, officers attached to Oxley Police District discovered a man's body in his car.

Police slowed traffic on the highway in both directions for six hours as they combed the area for clues as to what happened.

Exactly what happened is still under investigation.

On Saturday, a 61-year-old man died when his motorcycle crashed into a fence, ejecting him from the bike.

At about 1pm on Saturday, February 10, emergency services were called to Premer Road, Tambar Springs, about 72 kilometres southwest of Gunnedah after receiving reports of the crash.

When they arrived officers attached to Oxley Police District located the 61-year-old's body and were told the man collided with a wire fence.

Police believe a white ute could have been in the vicinity at the time of incident and are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.

A woman, who suffered critical injuries in a crash on Saturday which claimed the lives of three people, including the woman's husband, is reported to be making some progress in hospital.

On Monday, her condition was described as serious, but stable.

The woman's two-year-old child, who was strapped into the back seat of the car when it collided with another vehicle near Armidale, escaped relatively unharmed.

Inspector Wixx said it's a lesson for every parent.

"One positive we can take out if this is the very young child who was in the rear of the car in the Armidale collision was properly restrained in an anchored car seat, so that child has survived," she said.

"Because those parents did take the time to obey the road rules on children in car seats, that child has only suffered minimal injuries."

The family was travelling southbound into Armidale when the crash happened on the New England Highway about 6 kilometres north of the city, just before 7pm on Saturday, February 10.

The driver of the other car, a 27-year-old man, and his 27-year-old female passenger, both died at the scene.

As inquiries continue, anyone with information or dash cam footage about the incidents above are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.