Two mothers who have tragically lost their children in car accidents have urged drivers to slow down and be mindful on the road.

Estlin Wall (three) and Martin Ginnelly (21) were both killed in separate road traffic collision in the past six years, and their mothers want to stop to the needless devastation wreaked on families by road deaths.

Martin’s mother Caroline has not missed a day visiting her son’s grave since he was killed when the car in which he was a passenger was involved in a single-vehicle collision just five minutes from his home at Gibbstown, Co Meath in July 2018.

Ms Ginnelly said the pain of losing her son has not eased, but she no longer expects him to walk in her door to hug her or to ring her to find out what’s for dinner.

“I was 60 on Wednesday, and it should have been a very happy occasion, but Martin was missing and each year feels like I’m leaving him further behind,” she said.

“He rang me several times a day and gave me a load of hugs and I miss that.

Pat, Martin and Caroline Ginnelly.

“When the garda told us Martin was dead that day, my life and my whole world collapsed before me. He’s my baby, he was only 21, he shouldn’t have been killed.

“I have been at his grave every day since he died. If I have to go to visit family in Mayo, I visit before I go and then the next day when we get home. I haven’t been away longer than that,” she said.

“So many people have been killed needlessly on the roads. Life is precious. Cars are not toys, they can be weapons.

“Drivers need to slow down and concentrate on the roads. How many times have you driven on a road, preoccupied with other stuff in your head, and actually couldn’t remember driving that stretch?

“Too many cars have hands-free options now, but I still see drivers on their mobile phones every day. And a quick glance at a text message while driving may mean you never get to answer it,” Ms Ginnelly added.

“A split second, a lapse of concentration or a stray glance can leave some other family, like us, in a living hell struggling to ever fully accept that they are never coming home again.”

Responsibility

Estlin’s mother, Amy Dutil Wall has called for drivers to take more personal responsibility on the roads to prevent other families facing a groundhog day future of reliving the tragedy over and over.

Estlin, from Ennistymon, Co Clare, was just nine days short of her fourth birthday when she was killed in a crash in March 2017 as her father was driving her to creche. Her father Vincent suffered a brain injury in the collision.

“I think all drivers need to take personal responsibility when on the roads,” she said

“It’s very easy to reduce speed limits but in some cases, lack of speed is as much a cause as too much speed as it causes frustration and impatience to other drivers following a slow-moving vehicle and makes them take dangerous chances to overtake.

Estlin Wall with her mother, Amy Dutil Wall.

“I saw an argument that Ireland has a lower death rate on the roads than other countries, but there should be no acceptable number for deaths on the roads. It should never be ‘not too bad’,” Ms Dutil Wall said.

“Behind every number, every statistic, is a loved one and a family whose life has also been ended to different degrees. Behind every statistic, there could also be a survivor who, like Vincent, is living with life-changing injuries.

“A life of what could have beens is not a full life,” she said.

She also called for a look at a current programme in her native US where a sensor is installed in cars to monitor their driving habits.

“This sensor monitors speed, brake control and all driving habits and sends a report to your phone at the end of each drive, rating how safe you were driving. The results can lead to lower insurance premiums.

“People love getting good reports, so this could be one that would encourage drivers to want to improve their skills and save money, instead of costing them more with additional penalty points.”

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People in parts of Canterbury are being encouraged to evacuate amid heavy downpours that have forced the closure of an Ashburton bridge and multiple other roads across the region.

The Wamakariri District Council is encouraging residents in Tuahiwi to self-evacuate.

There is a risk of further flooding at high tide tonight (8pm) when the Cam River is most affected by the incoming tide.

“If you can stay with friends and family tonight, we advise you to do this as a precaution,” the council shared on Facebook.

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If not, they have also established a Civil Defence Centre located at The Riverside Church in Kaiapoi at 45 Charles Street, Kaiapoi.

Waimakariri MP Dan Rosewarne told Newstalk ZB the evacuation centre was expecting up to 115 families.

Rosewarne said the key message for locals was to “just check on your neighbours, knock on their door, see if they’re ok”.

“See if they’ve got supplies, see if they’ve got family themselves in the local area that they could, get help from and if need be just help them evacuate because some members in our community don’t always have a vehicle,” Rosewarne said

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“They may have mobility issues so just knocking on your neighbour’s door and making sure that they’re ok.”

Rosewarne said the rain was easing in the area currently.

The Waimakariri District Council has over 100mls of rain today. The rain is still expected to continue into the night, with potentially another 60 to 90 mm on top of what has already fallen.

Residents who have evacuated already are asked to stay away overnight due to rising floodwaters. Another update will not be available until the morning, the council reported.

Duty Civil Defence Emergency Management controller Murray Washington was encouraging Lower and Upper Selwyn Huts residents to evacuate due to the risk of them becoming isolated due to rising river levels.

River levels are increasing due to heavy rains in the Selwyn River catchment and are anticipated to climb further overnight. This might result in out-of-stream flooding in the lower Selwyn catchment and across Days Road.

Civil Defence is supporting residents and has established a Civil Defence Centre at Lincoln Event Centre on Meijer Drive, Lincoln if residents have nowhere to go. Days Road may be closed after the self-evacuation.

Flooding on the Kaiapoi River earlier today. Photo / Supplied

A number of pump stations were at capacity or overflowing in Kaiapoi, Wamakariri District Council advised, and they had deployed several pumps and sucker trucks around the district.

The Wamakariri District Council advised locals about the hazards of flood water, advising them not to allow their children to play in it and to fully wash their hands after coming into contact with it.

The council were aware of several homes that had been affected by flood water, and only a limited supply of sandbags were available.

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Flood water has caused further havoc across the Canterbury region.

Fire and Emergency received calls about a car stuck in floodwater on Hinds Highway in Tinwald, Ashburton at 7.50pm this evening.

Upon arrival, the two passengers had managed to exit the car and did not need rescuing from the two fire engines that were sent to the scene, a spokesperson said.

The SH1 Ashburton River/Hakatere Bridge will be closed by Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency starting today (Sunday) from 7pm until roughly 6am on Monday, July 24.

Waka Kotahi Central South Island system manager Mark Pinner said this a precautionary measure due to the build-up of flood debris around the bridge piers.

Although the river levels are not equivalent to the flood of 2021, which undermined part of the bridge and necessitated restoration, a cautious approach is appropriate given the prediction for more rain, according to Pinner.

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Advertise with NZME.Debris on the Ashburton River collects against the Hakatere Bridge, part of State Highway 1, as heavy rains cause widespread flooding in the Canterbury region.

“If the river levels drop and concerns over debris lessen, the bridge may re-open later tonight or earlier tomorrow. However, we prefer people to be aware of the potential for the full overnight closure ahead of time,” Pinner said.

Emergency vehicles will be allowed across the bridge. Electronic moveable signs are going in place now north of Timaru and Rangitata, with permanent signs advertising the bridge closure in Rolleston, Rakaia and Hinds.

Additionally, flooding has forced the closure of SH77 in Mid Canterbury between Thompsons Track and Pole Road. People must be informed of this and use alternate routes because local road bridges are also closed, Waka Kotahi said.

There is an alternate route through SH8 and SH1 from Geraldine to Fairlie following the closure on SH79 at Middle Valley.

While there are some flooded sections of SH73 Springfield to Castle Hill, it is still passable. Waka Kotahi advises all drivers to drive according to the conditions when making necessary excursions.

There is stop/go traffic management along SH75 Banks Peninsula from Birdlings Flat to Cooptown and a number of small slips restricting traffic. The route opened after lunch following an earlier closure to clear a large slip near Little River.

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MetService meteorologist Alwyn Bakker earlier today said they were expecting between 60-90 millimetres more rainfall between this morning and 3am on Monday, more about the higher ground.

A heavy rain warning is in place, which will last until 3am tomorrow.

At 8am this morning, MetService forecasted 70 to 100mm of rain, on top of what had already fallen, with peak rates of 10 to 15mm/h.

Ashburton has seen 71mm of rain since 8pm last night. Christchurch is at 65mm and Timaru 46mm.

Snow also fell overnight; Bakker said it was difficult to say how much snow had fallen.

“It’s not surprising to be getting a fair bit of snow because the temperatures have been really cold down south,” Bakker said.

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“The worse of the snowfall is probably over, but what we’re concerned about is the heavy rain, which is causing flooding and slips.”

Eastern Marlborough, Canterbury and North Otago all have heavy rain warnings in effect until 3am tomorrow.

The slow-moving low-pressure system east of New Zealand, which is still directing a moist easterly flow over the South Island, is the cause of the heavy downpours.

Earlier today, Bakker said that on top of what had already fallen, portions of Eastern Marlborough and Canterbury should anticipate an additional 70 to 100mm of rain.

Another 60 to 90mm of rain is forecast for the foothills and High Country in the districts south of Cheviot.

“Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly, with surface flooding and slips possible,” Bakker said.

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According to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa), Akaroa in the Banks Peninsula had its rainiest day on record, at least provisionally, with 198mm of rain pouring down between 9am yesterday and 9am today.

It stated there had already been more than a month’s worth of rain in many parts of Canterbury, and there would yet be more.

Rainfall totals in Winchmore were 76.2mm, 94.4mm in Wakanui and 94.4mm in Rangiora.

After dawn tomorrow, the rain will begin to ease in Canterbury, according to MetService. The downpours are expected to completely finish by the time night falls.

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.

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