TWO Launceston nurses have endured senseless but ‘‘potentially deadly’’ attacks as they drove to work on Tuesday night.
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The women were driving in separate cars along the Southern outlet when rocks were thrown at their vehicles from the Westbury overpass.
The nurses were going to the Launceston General Hospital to begin night shifts when the rocks were thrown.
Similar incidents have killed motorists in other states, prompting New South Wales to introduce tough laws jailing offenders for up to five years.
One of the nurses, Emily, who did not wish to give her surname, had a rock smash her windscreen spraying her with glass as she drove at 110km/h along the dark outlet.
‘‘I looked up and a saw a couple of people on the bridge and thought ‘oh it’s a nice night they’re out for a walk’... as I got close there was an almighty smash,’’ she said.
‘‘Then I just got sprayed with shards of glass.
‘‘This is going to happen again – are people going to get killed?’’
Emily said she came forward to raise awareness and hopefully stop people from doing it.
About 10 minutes before her ordeal a colleague had experienced a similar shock.
Julie Smedley was driving under the overpass when what sounded like a ‘‘missile’’ hit her car.
The rock caused a fist-sized hole in the car window next to where her seven- year-old son usually sits in his booster seat.
The shaken nurse pulled up outside the Metro bus depot and was helped by a worker.
‘‘I just hope the people responsible understand the possible ramifications of their actions,’’ she said.
‘‘The two of us were going to work to care for people and we could have potentially ended up having to be cared for.’’
Launceston Police Inspector Michael Johnston said the possible consequences of ‘‘these illogical actions’’ were just frightening.
‘‘It’s potentially deadly every time somebody does it,’’ he said. ‘‘(The rock) can pierce the window and hit the driver or passenger killing them instantly or it can make them lose control of the vehicle.’’
The two damaged vehicles were being driven towards Launceston on the Midland Highway between 9.10pm and 9.20pm on Tuesday. Police urge anyone with information to contact them on 131444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800333000.
