First responders have described their desperate efforts to save four people trapped in the wreckage of their car after a head-on collision near Albury on the weekend that killed a 16-year-old girl.
Emergency services were called to the Riverina Highway at Thurgoona at 6pm on Saturday following reports a sedan and a ute had collided.
The four occupants of the sedan were freed from the vehicle by the Volunteer Rescue Association.
The 16-year-old was taken to the Albury Base Hospital in a critical condition where she later died, and a 20-year-old female passenger of the same car was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital where she remains in a critical condition.
Volunteer Rescue Association NSW regional operations manager Paul Marshall described the scene as tragic and confronting.
"We had to basically pull the car apart. We had to take doors off and roof off to get the others out," he said.
"It put a four-wheel drive on its roof … If that can give you an indication of the impact.
"You've got two vehicles doing 80km/h. That's a 160km/h impact with a combined speed."
The 44-year-old driver of the sedan was taken to Albury Base Hospital in a stable condition and a 19-year-old female passenger of the car was treated for minor injuries.
The driver of the utility, a 45-year-old man, was taken to Albury Base Hospital with minor injuries, and later charged with eight offences including dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving, and not keeping left of dividing line.
The man's license has also been suspended and he will appear before Albury Local Court in June.
Rippling effect in community
Mr Marshall said that volunteers from across the region were called in to assist, including the Wodonga SES and NSW RFS.
"We threw everything we could at it" he said.
"It's extremely tragic for the family and those immediately involved, but the ripples do go further to all our volunteers."
Support was being offered to first responders and those who attended the scene.
"It sticks with you … especially when you find out that it is a young person. It's a life that's been cut short," Mr Marshall said.
"One of our volunteers drove through that exact location the night after. She had to go that way to go home and spotted a pair of gloves still sitting on the side of the road. That was enough to trigger her a little."
Accidents happen in a moment
Mr Marshall is urging the community to take extra precautions on the road and drive to the conditions.
"It's the simple things like just paying attention, putting that phone down. The weather has turned, it's going to rain, it's going to be foggy. Just give yourself that little bit of extra time and that little bit of extra patience when you drive," he said.
"We've seen it a million times. We all know the messages, but please they're not just being said. They actually need to be followed through."
He said it can take just 30 seconds to turn an average day into one with tragic circumstances.
