Blown tyre puts car off the New England Highway
TWO teenagers had a lucky escape from serious injury when a new tyre on their car blew out just north of Wallangarra at 10am Saturday.
Sergeant Alan Baker, of Wallangarra police, said the tyre blew out at 100kmh and the vehicle became airborne off the highway.
"The vehicle landed in a gully parallel to the highway, just missed a substantial tree which took off the driver's side mirror, went through a fence and over a rocky outcrop before coming to rest just before a steep embankment back on the highway,” he said.
The 18-year-old driver was from Bardon in Brisbane and his 17-year-old passenger from the New England area of New South Wales.
They were travelling south and the accident happened just before Saxbys Hill north of Wallangarra.
"The driver did a good job to keep some control after the vehicle left the road. He had got new tyres and rims on the car on Friday,” Sgt Baker said.
"A witness saw the left hand rear tyre blow out, the accident was no fault of the driver.”
The pair were in shock and were conveyed to Tenterfield Hospital to be checked out.
"They are okay but very lucky,” he said.
