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POLICE and the Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania have pleaded with motorists to use headlights in low visibility conditions after a dramatic 16-car pile-up on the East Tamar Highway yesterday.
RACT spokesman Vince Taskunis said he fielded hundreds of calls yesterday in relation to the car crashes on the highway.
Thick fog was blamed for three separate accidents about 9am that caused chaos for Launceston commuters.
Tasmania Police Sergeant Jason Jones said the first crash involved 11 vehicles and happened about a kilometre north of the Mowbray Connector, in the northbound lanes.
"Police at the same time also attended the scene of two separate accidents approximately 500 metres north of this collision, involving three vehicles, and 200 metres south involving two vehicles," he said.
"The conditions were a major factor, although we have had fog that thick over the past couple of weeks.
"I've never seen so many cars involved in an incident like this and I have been in the job for 20 years."
Although some of the cars were badly damaged, only one person was taken to hospital.
The woman was taken by ambulance to the Launceston General Hospital with suspected spinal injuries after complaining of a stiff neck.
Damage ranged from the odd dent in a bumper bar or panel to sedans being crushed almost beyond recognition.
Perhaps the luckiest driver in the accident was Launceston businesswoman Theresa Streefland, who was uninjured and whose white Lexus sedan received only a slight dent to its rear bumper.
Behind her, the front of a Holden Commodore sat wedged under the safety barrier, its rear end smashed by the now- crumpled rear of a small hatchback that had spun 180 degrees before colliding.
Ms Streefland said that a tow truck in front of her smashed into the rear of a Honda, crushing the rear half of the small sedan.
"All I could see was the tow truck's tray and all these cars coming towards me in the mirror - I certainly am one of the most blessed people," she said.
Police stopped northbound traffic on Goderich Street for nearly an hour as police, fire brigade, ambulance and tow truck personnel worked to clear the carnage.
Police directed northbound traffic past the crash site as a colleague on the southbound lanes did his best to slow cars to a safe speed.
Sergeant Jones warned people to drive to the weather conditions and slow down and turn their headlights on in reduced visibility.
"It is also very important to maintain sufficient space between vehicles when driving to assist in avoiding collisions," he said.
Mr Taskunis pleaded with motorists to use their headlights in the fog, saying those who chose not to were "dumb" and were putting lives at risk.