EUREKA Street residents are demanding action following another two serious car accidents along the road yesterday. In the latest accident, a 47-year-old driver crashed his station wagon into a parked car about 5pm, narrowly missing a young girl. Earlier, a 24-year-old man was lucky to escape with minor injuries after crashing his vehicle about 5.15am. Last month the same stretch of road saw three serious accidents in 24 hours, leading local residents to call for an urgent safety upgrade. Eureka Street resident Simone Collins said the station wagon in yesterday afternoon’s crash came within a metre of her 9-year-old daughter, Emma, who was standing in the driveway of their home. “There was a very huge bang and I turned and saw what had happened,” she said. “Emma was running away and screaming and got a very bad fright but she was very concerned about the man who was injured.”The parked car was pushed 15 metres along the road during the crash near Macdonald Street. The driver was taken to Ballarat Base Hospital with minor injuries. Mrs Collins and Eureka Street Fish & Chips shop owner Michelle Harris said most people living on the street were fed up with speeding drivers.
View Larger Map“We’ve been here for five-and-a-half years and there have been more than a few accidents in that time,” Ms Salter said. “The council has re-painted the white lines on the road, but something else definitely needs to be done.”The 24-year-old driver involved in the early morning crash yesterday was driving east along Eureka Street when he lost control and veered off the road.His car flattened a bus stop sign and snapped a telephone pole before it rolled and landed against a fence in a vacant block of land near the Otway Street intersection.Ballarat Police Sergeant Peter Carey said the man — the only occupant in the car — was taken to the Base Hospital with minor injuries.What should be done about this? Have your say“Investigations are ongoing — speed and alcohol will be investigated as part of that,” Sergeant Carey said.When asked what the City of Ballarat planned to do to prevent more accidents occurring, Ballarat mayor Mark Harris said council encouraged drivers to “act responsibly”. “The City of Ballarat undertakes regular reviews of our road networks to improve safety and traffic flow,” he said in a written statement.“Improvements are made where ever necessary.”Follow @ballaratcourier