Police are urging anyone who may have witnessed a serious multiple vehicle crash on the Bass Highway near Westbury to come forward with any information they may have, as a 17-year-old Gagebrook male remains critically injured in intensive care.
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Inspector Darren Hopkins said the crash scene was the "longest" he had ever seen, with car parts flung across a 200-400 metre stretch of the highway, between Hagley and Carrick.
The crash occurred about 8pm on Friday night, directly involving four vehicles.
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A 2002 blue Holden Commodore utility driven by a 17-year-old male, carrying a male passenger the same age, appears to have entered the oncoming westbound lane of the highway.
The two males were travelling east, on their way back to Hobart.
Police believe the Commodore may have been attempting to overtake another vehicle, causing it to enter the oncoming lane.
"They've crossed to the incorrect side of the road into the path of several oncoming vehicles," Inspector Hopkins said. "One small sedan managed to swerve out of the way, avoiding a head-on collision."
"But, unfortunately, a [Toyota] Land Cruiser containing a family of six, I believe, was struck by that ute. The ute has then gone through and struck the right side of a petrol tanker - a Caltex petrol tanker - and continued on again and struck the front of a Mazda SUV."
The Mazda CX-5 was being driven by a 35-year-old Deloraine woman, accompanied by her 12-year-old son.
"At that point, the ute seems to have spun significantly and thrown the passenger of the ute out of the vehicle and across the road. He's suffered some serious head injuries as a result."
Inspector Hopkins said this suggested the passenger might not have been wearing a seatbelt.
Dashcam footage has been extracted from the petrol tanker involved in the crash, which police hope could break open their investigation.
But Inspector Hopkins said any additional footage in the possession of other potential witnesses could also prove invaluable.
"If anyone's got some dashcam footage of the ute prior to the crash or up to the crash, we'd certainly be interested to know.
"Or if there was a vehicle being overtaken ... we'd be interested to hear from them."
As of about 12.45pm this afternoon, the seriously injured passenger, who was flown to the Royal Hobart Hospital last night, remained in a critical condition in intensive care.
The ute seems to have spun significantly and thrown the passenger of the ute out of the vehicle and across the road.
- Inspector Darren Hopkins
All the other people involved in the crash received only minor injuries at worst.
"It should have been a multiple fatality last night," Inspector Hopkins said. "Those involved are very, very lucky that they're still walking around today. The impacts, if they'd been head-on, the majority of them would have been way more serious."
Crash investigators will be at the scene this afternoon to try and determine where the impact occurred, taking measurements and looking to estimate how fast each of the vehicles was going.
The Bass Highway will be closed for about 30 minutes about 3pm today. Traffic diversions will be in place on the eastern approach at Oaks Road and on the western side at Meander Valley Road.
Police ask motorists to avoid the area.
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