NT Police have ruled out poor road conditions as a contributing factor in the recent road deaths in the Northern Territory, adding that investigations continue into the cause of two separate crashes that killed two people on Saturday night.

The men in their 20s were killed in two separate crashes, 30 minutes apart on Saturday night.

Road fatality figures for the NT are now three times higher compared to the same period last year. The death toll from the NT’s vehicular accidents this year now stands at 12, a steep 200 per cent increase from only four fatalities in the same period last year.

NT Police said they responded to the first fatal crash at around 8:50pm on Saturday where a single vehicle rolled over on Fog Bay Road near Dundee.

In a police briefing Monday afternoon, Major Crash Investigation Unit Senior Sergeant Corey Borton said early investigations indicated the vehicle left the road and lost control. The 20-year-old male driver died on the spot, responders said.

“The vehicle tripped and rolled being a high centre of gravity vehicle and unfortunately the driver died at the scene,” Sgt Borton said.

Around 30 minutes later at 9:20pm, NT Police said they responded to another fatal report involving a motorcycle colliding with a vehicle on McMillans Road at Jingili near the intersection of the Darwin General Cemetery access road.

Sgt Borton said early investigations indicated the crash occurred when the motorcycle was turning into the Jingili cemetery area and collided with the side of the car.

“The motorcyclist was unfortunately riding a dirt bike which didn’t have any lights fitted,” he said.

“And unfortunately, he wasn’t wearing a helmet and he died at the scene.”

There was a temporary traffic disruption in the area on Sunday as officers conducted their investigations.

Senior Sergeant Corey Borton said Major Crash Unit is still investigating both crashes and described the incidents “tragic”.

Poor road conditions not a factor to fatal crashes, but contribute to non-fatal incidents: Police

Deadly car crashes since the beginning of the year have prompted calls from Territorians to the NT Government to carry out road works.

Sgt Borton said the recent increase in fatalities is “definitely not the start we wanted for the year”.

Although investigations are still ongoing, he said “there’s not one contributing factor to these [fatal] crashes”.

“The Northern Territory police have regular meetings with other agencies, including DIPL [Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics] and others where the causal factors of crashes are discussed,” he said.

“And if there’s any faults with roads or road furniture, such as signage, etc. that’s identified, then that’s the forum where that gets picked up.

“There’s obviously state funding and federal funding that looks at black spots and in fixing up those areas.

“This year, I don’t think we can contribute any of the crashes to any road black spots or you know, poor road conditions.”

In February, four men were also killed in a single-vehicle car crash in Howard Springs. Investigators said the body of the victims were “extensively burned”.

It was the largest single motor vehicle death toll in the Northern Territory since five people were killed in a car crash west of Jabiru in 2019.

The death toll from NT’s vehicular accidents this year now stands at 12, a steep 200 per cent increase from only 4 fatalities in the same period last year.

In a recent addition to the vehicular death toll in the NT, authorities announced yesterday that a 65-year-old driver who was involved in a head-on collision with a road train in Rowell Highway, Groote Eylandt on February 19 died in hospital on Friday, March 11.

The man and a passenger sustained severe injuries during the accident and have been hospitalised at the Royal Darwin Hospital.

Police said the passenger has since been discharged, but the driver remained in hospital and sadly passed away.

The driver of the road train was uninjured in the crash. Police said they will prepare a file for the Coroner.

Meanwhile, NT Police said severe weather did contribute to two separate car crashes across Darwin on Sunday night.

Watch Commander Jamie O’Brien said a head-on collision was reported on Chung Wah Terrace in Palmerston just after 7:30pm. He said one car turned in front of another.

“Both people were conveyed to hospital but there doesn’t appear to be any serious injuries,” Cdr O’Brien said.

Another car crash was also reported on Bagot Road.

“In the pouring rain [the driver] didn’t see a car that was proceeding along the Stuart Highway and it collided with the side of the other vehicle causing it to veer off the road.

“It’s a timely reminder to take extra care on the roads in the wet.

“People [are] obviously not driving to the conditions and slowing down a little bit and turning [their] on lights,” he added.