Highway patrol chief says fatalities not accidents

Police say the tragic deaths of five people in four Hunter Valley crashes are not classified as accidents.

The fatalities have occurred in the past ten days at Edderton, Muswellbrook, Murulla and Liddell.

Highway Patrol boss Chief Inspector Thomas Barnes said there’s a reason why we don’t call them accidents anymore because really what they all are now are crashes.

“They all happen for a reason whether they be action or inaction on behalf of one party or another,” he said.

“What that infers is they are something that can be avoided.”