Liam McNally
Jenevra Ravell was in bed with three of her young children when a “crash, bang” disturbed her otherwise “dead quiet” Melton street.
She asked her 13-year-old to watch her siblings while she left the house to investigate.
Ms Ravell said in her front yard she saw a car with its front end “crumbled” sitting on her fence, and against her tree.
Ms Ravell said having a car crash so close to where her four-month-old baby sleeps is “terrifying”.
“That’s too close to home, someone’s going to get hurt if it doesn’t get fixed. And that’s my biggest worry is someone getting hurt,” she said.
Ms Ravell lives on Centenary Road, between the roundabouts on Coburns Road, and O’Neills Road, where similar incidents have occurred in the past.
Her fence was destroyed on November 26, but there was a similar incident in June.
“This road is dangerous,” she said.
“It’s almost a quarter-mile straight stretch which brings out all the hoons who want to constantly drive as fast as they can up the road.
“There’s two day cares and an old person’s home, plus a bunch of residents within that stretch of road that could have potential injuries or worse, death, if it was to happen at a different time of day.”
The most recent accident inspired Ms Ravell to take action by starting an online petition calling on the state government to improve safety on the road.
She believes measures such as traffic lights, speed bumps, cameras, an extra roundabout, or a safety wall should be considered.
The petition has almost 30 signatures so far.
“My biggest thing is the safety of the public, and especially the elderly home and the children’s day-cares,” she said.
Melton council city futures director Sam Romaszko said council was unaware of the petition, but deemed speed humps unsuitable for the “moderately” busy street.
“The Victorian government is responsible for speed cameras and Victoria Police for hoon driving behaviour.”
Council urged residents who are concerned about driver behaviour to contact Crime Stoppers.
Details: bit.ly/3B8xnJp
