– I think something has to happen, otherwise we have to move. It is not relevant to bring up our children where they may risk ending up in an accident. Silje Ulvatn says so. She and her family live near national road 5 in Florø, where a traffic accident had a tragic outcome on the night of Saturday, after three young people lost their lives. Residents near the road fear that more accidents could happen if nothing is done about the stretch of road. The police are aware that there have been complaints about reckless driving on the stretch, but do not want to connect it to the fatal accident: – At the present time, we have no basis to connect the fatal accident to it, police chief Wenke Hope told news on Saturday afternoon. Calls for safety measures Wenche Nordal also lives close to the road. She says that the residents in the neighborhood have long fought to get something done with the road. NEIGHBORHOOD: Wenche Nordal wants measures to secure the road. Photo: Arne Stubhaug / news The first time she sent a message to the Swedish Road Administration was in 2018, she says. And when the traffic safety plan in Kinn municipality was out for consultation in 2022, she registered a case again. – I reported that we wanted to lower the speed limit because the speed is very high. We have small children and pets, and feel the insecurity of the speed and general fear that something like what happened now would happen. She says she has not received a response from the municipality to the message. Mayor of Kinn, Ola Teigen, says he is familiar with the stretch of road and the high speed, and says that several concerned parents have been in contact with him on previous occasions. TWO MEASURES: Mayor of Kinn, Ola Teigen, sees two possible measures on the way. Photo: Arne Stubhaug / news – What can one do with the road? – One can, of course, introduce measures, but it is an avenue with which there is not much concrete to do. But attitude-building work and that the police have the resources to carry out checks and ensure that the most serious speeding offenders lose their driving licence, are two measures, he says. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration, which is responsible for the road, has been given the opportunity to comment on the matter on Sunday. High speed limit It is still not clear what led to the accident where two passenger cars collided. The three victims were in a car that caught fire after the accident. Two people in their 40s and 50s sat in the other car. They were considered to be slightly injured. The stretch of road in question has a 70 zone and is one of the main roads in Florø. The road has a lot of traffic, and is known locally for being a stretch where people drive extra fast. According to Ulvatn and Nordal, they often hear noise from cars driving very fast. They believe that the first thing that should be done is to adjust the speed limit down. The police are investigating the case and are working with forensic investigations and witness interviews, Police Superintendent Wenke Hope said on Saturday. MEMORIAL MARKING: On Saturday, people from the local community met to remember those lost. Flowers and candles were laid at the scene of the accident. Photo: Truls Kleiven Tragic accident Shankar Panchaligam lives nearby and was among the first to arrive at the scene of the accident. He tells about strong impressions. – When I look out the door, the street is completely lit up and two cars are in full flames. The first thing I think of is the people in the car. STRONG: Shankar Panchaligam was among the first on the scene. He says there were strong impressions. Photo: Ole Kristian Svalheim / news The neighbors call the accident tragic, and sympathize with the family and loved ones of those who died. – It is absolutely terrible to know that such things can happen. We can only imagine how the family and parents feel. This has been announced and talked about. Everyone knows that here it has been postponed, and yet nothing has been done, says Ulvatn. – It is completely tragic. I have no words, says Nordal. Police attorney Ingeborg Drægebø tells news that the police do not know for sure which of the three victims was the driver of the car. She points out that no one has been charged in the case. – Beyond that, we have nothing new to come up with, says Drægebø at 1pm on Sunday. The accident happened on national highway 5 in Florø in Kinn municipality.
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Neighbors have been warning about the accident road for several years – news Vestland
