Teens killed in 'horrific' accident on WA camping trip
A camping trip turned deadly for two teenagers who were killed when the vehicle they were driving flipped and rolled up to seven times while driving in Western Australia on Saturday.
The 17-year-old victims, believed to be Dale Martin and his passenger Ryleigh Land, were on a camping trip, according to reports, but died when their Mitsubishi Triton Utility crashed on the South Western Highway in Wagerup, south of Perth at around 1.30pm.
Family told Nine News the boys were just 10 minutes away from their campsite when Mr Martin, a red P-plater, lost control of his ute while trying to overtake.
The tragic accident has left friends and family in mourning with some reportedly visiting the scene on Sunday where the teens died.
Mr Land's family built a makeshift memorial for the 17-year-old out of cricket stumps and a bat at the crash site.
Mr Land, described by his brother as "cricket mad", is being remembered for his "heart of gold".
"He always knew how to put a smile on someone’s face,” he said, according to The West Australian.
"Fly high brother, you will be missed. I just want you to come home, I still don’t believe it’s real."
According to the newspaper, one woman who witnessed the aftermath described the scene as "horrific" and said the road was extremely wet and flooded.
WA police confirmed they are investigating the incident and are appealing for witnesses, dashcam and mobile vision.
WA P-plater rules questioned
The incident reportedly prompted concerns about inexperienced drivers with WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti being quizzed about what's required to obtain a provisional licence.
NSW and Victoria both require drivers to complete 120 hours of driving before qualifying for a provisional licence while in WA, drivers only need 50.
"My condolences go to the families, I’ve experienced a family member who has died in a car crash and it is something that devastates the entire family . . . and friends,” Ms Saffioti said after the tragedy.
"(Road trauma) is a tragedy. . . we will examine what else we can do to improve safety, particularly in regional WA where we do see a disproportionate number of people who do die or have serious injuries.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
