A 25-year-old woman has died and a man has been injured after a utility rolled near Kyogle on Sunday (December 22).
Police say the pair were in riding the tray of a Mitsubishi Triton as it drove down O’Neill Road, Muckleewee Mountain, when the vehicle rolled down an embankment.
Both the man and woman were thrown from the tray in the accident.
The woman was trapped under the ute and, despite efforts to free her, she died at the scene.
The man and the other occupants of the ute were treated by paramedics and taken to Lismore Base Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver, a 25-year-old man, also underwent mandatory blood and urine tests.
Police from Richmond Local Area Command are continuing their investigations into the crash and will prepare a report for the Coroner.
Police are also renewing their appeals to people to belt up and travel safely over the Xmas break.
‘This Christmas tragedy might have been avoided had [the young woman] been seated inside wearing a seatbelt,’ said NSW Police traffic and highway patrol commander, assistant commissioner John Hartley.
He added that simple safety messages were being ignored, unnecessarily putting lives at risk.
Operation Safe Arrival was launched on Friday (December 20) and will run until Thursday January 2.
Double demerits are being enforced during the operation and will remain in place until Wednesday 1 January 2014, for speeding, seatbelt and helmet offences.
The statewide campaign involves police targeting a range of offences, including drink and drug driving, speeding, fatigue, seatbelt use, mobile-phone use and other forms of dangerous driving.
