MORE details have emerged of the Olympic Highway crash south of Junee on Sunday, in which two horses died at the scene.
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The two occupants, a male and female, were travelling south on the highway at Wallacetown about 1PM in cold and wet weather conditions, while driving a four-wheel-drive towing a horse float.
The driver loss control of the 4WD and veered onto the north bound lane. The horse float then collided with a tree which caused both vehicles to roll.
The male and female were able to exit the vehicle with minor injuries, however due to the impact the two horses received they died at the scene.
Inspector Rob Vergano from Junee Police Station said the rainy weather on Sunday caused bad road conditions and cautioned drivers to be aware of others when driving.
He said it is important to be mindful of the dangers travelling on the road when towing another weighed down vehicle, such as an animal float or a caravan.
“Everything changes when you’re towing another vehicle, especially in wet weather conditions,” he said.
“It’s essential to drive to the conditions and know what you’re towing – if that’s one or two horses, the weight can vary between 300 and 600 kilograms – if you’re travelling at 100 kilometres then it will take you longer to stop with a heavier load.”
Inspector Vergano said drivers have a lot of variables that need to be taken into consideration when driving in the Riverina.
“This includes wildlife like kangaroos and also being wary of the weather conditions such as ice in the mornings, which can create slippery road conditions,” he said.
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