The four teenage occupants of a white Toyota sedan are lucky to be alive after rolling their vehicle a number of times and narrowly missing a large gum tree early this morning.
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Hamilton police Sergeant Paul Stanhope said the single-vehicle accident happened in the Merino district just after 3am on the Portland-Casterton Road between Paschendale Road and the Henty-Paschendale Road.
"They were travelling west when the vehicle has slid off the road on a right-hand bend. The driver has lost control, gone across the carriageway and down an embankment.
"The vehicle has rolled two or three times and came to rest against a medium size gum tree.
"The sedan has narrowly missed a large tree. None of the occupants suffered serious injuries."
The 19-year-old Casterton man driving and his three passengers - two men and a woman, were taken to the Hamilton Base Hospital for observation.
"The collision has occurred on a winding downhill section of road and the road surface was wet due to recent rain," Sergeant Stanhope said.
"The message is very simple - be aware of the road conditions and drive to them.
"It would seem that the occupants of this vehicle were extremely lucky to not be seriously injured or killed."
The police sergeant said further investigations were continuing into the circumstances of the crash, with distraction or inattention a possible expected cause.
Alcohol or drugs is not believed to be a factor.
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