The driver of a car that crashed into a tree near Newcastle overnight was the holder of a Learner’s licence, police have revealed.
One person is dead and two others have been injured after a crash in the New South Wales Hunter region.
Crews were called to Salt Ash, north of Newcastle, around 11pm last night after the car collided with a tree.
It’s understood a teenage boy died on the way to hospital.
The 17-year-old driver has been taken to hospital for mandatory testing.
Police were called to Lemon Tree Passage Road in the suburb of Salt Ash, near Newcastle, after a white Ford Falcon left the road and hit a tree on Friday about 10:50pm.
Officers and paramedics arrived at the scene to find a 16-year-old boy had suffered critical injuries. He was rushed into an ambulance but died on the way to hospital.
The vehicle was carrying five occupants at the time of the crash – four boys and one girl – all aged between 14 and 17.
Port Stephens Manning Highway Patrol’s Traffic Inspector Fatih Samsa told reporters on Saturday the driver of the vehicle was the holder of a Learner driver licence.
A devastating update has been revealed after a teenage boy was killed when a car crashed into a tree near Newcastle overnight. Picture: Nine
The driver was breath tested and taken to hospital for mandatory testing.
The three other occupants went to hospital after sustaining non-life-threatening injuries.
The relationship between the five in the vehicle and the speed at which the car was travelling has not yet been determined as police continue to investigate the nature of the incident.
Inspector Samsa said the tragic incident was a reminder for young people to be careful on the state’s roads as the school holidays get underway.
“Being the start of the school holidays, we’re obviously going to have more road users on the roads, especially novice young drivers so I’d recommend all young road users take care on the roads and give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.”