Fatigue the likely cause of horror crash at Cultana
The three men were travelling north in a Nissan station wagon that collided head on with a semi trailer on the Lincoln Highway, about 22 kilometres west of Port Augusta, just after 4.30pm on Thursday.
The car's occupants, a 59 year old man and two 33 year old men, died at the scene. Seth Joyner Jersey
The truck driver, a 38 year old man from Meadows, was taken to hospital and treated for a minor head injury.
The Lincoln Highway was closed for several hours as Major Crash investigators examined the circumstances of the crash.
Traffic Support Branch officer in charge Bob Fauser said the circumstances of the crash were not yet fully known but pointed to fatigue as the likely cause.
"The Nissan Patrol station wagon was driving through a left hand bend travelling north and has travelled across the wrong side of the road into the oncoming heavy vehicle," he said.
"We have no reason to believe that the driver of the heavy vehicle in anyway contributed to this crash. Authentic Brian Dawkins Jersey
"We have some indications that the cause of this crash may in fact be fatigue."
Mr Fauser said that this accident was the latest in a string of "catastrohphic crashes" on high speed regional roads in the months of December and January.
With the Australia Day long weekend coming up, Mr Fauser pleaded with the community to be careful on the roads and change their attitudes towards driving while tired.
"You need to plan your trip, you need to make sure you are well rested before you begin your journey," he said.
"Make sure you plan those rest breaks and make sure you plan the number of days you need to cover the distance." Randall Cunningham Eagles Jersey
This incident brings the state's road toll to nine compared to four at the same time last year. Authentic Reggie White Jersey
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