Key Points
- Two road accidents led to the deaths of three Nepali community members in Victoria.
- Concerns have been raised about road safety awareness in the Nepali community.
- Newly arrived people are encouraged to learn Australian road rules and to seek training from accredited driving instructors.
Two separate collisions led to the deaths of three Nepali people in Victoria this week.
On 15 May, a man and a woman died at the scene of a collision in Melbourne’s Caulfield South.
According to Victoria Police, the crash took place at around 10.45 pm when a sedan travelling along North Road collided with another car, causing the second vehicle to roll over.
Hari Khadka, the Victorian coordinator of the peak Nepali body, Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), confirmed with SBS Nepali that the couple travelling back home after work lost their lives at the scene.
The second incident took place the next day on 17 May at Pomborneit, west of Colac, a regional town about 150 kilometres south-west of Melbourne.
The male driver of a car died at the scene after a collision with a truck on Wednesday evening.
Mr Khadka told SBS Nepali that the NRNA was in contact with the victims’ families, and these incidents had raised concerns about road safety awareness in the Nepali community.
“These are very horrific accidents, not just for the Nepali community, but for the Victorian community at large,” he said.
We are taking this very seriously, and I have been in constant touch with their [victims’ families] to help in any way we can.Hari Khadka, Victorian coordinator, Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA)
Nirajan Gauli is the President of Australia Nepal Public Link (ANPL), a community organisation which carries out awareness programs on various topics including road safety, First Aid and mental health.
Their ongoing program, Road Safety for New Arrivals, in support of the Department of Transport Victoria, is particularly aimed at Nepali and other migrant communities.
Mr Gauli said while Victoria allowed drivers to use their Nepali licences for six months following their arrival in the state, road safety should be a personal responsibility.
“Australia’s infrastructure and advanced road rules might be a new thing for people who have recently arrived from Nepal,” he told SBS Nepali.
Even if someone has learnt how to drive in Nepal and has a Nepali licence, they should be fully aware of Australia’s rules and take at least a few classes from accredited (driving) instructors before sitting behind the wheel.Nirajan Gauli, President, Australia Nepal Public Link (ANPL)
Rajan Khadka is a driving instructor in Victoria.
He said new arrivals from Nepal needed to learn more about Australian road rules.
“I have seen that many Nepali newcomers know how to drive, but they do not know about Australia’s rules – for example, what to do at an intersection and how to maintain speed,” he said.
And many of us normally buy secondhand cars. Before buying, we should be careful about the condition of the vehicle and how safe it is to drive.Rajan Khadka, driving instructor
Victoria Police said investigations of the accidents were ongoing.
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