In a tragic incident, two passengers lost their lives when a vehicle spun out of control and overturned, coming to a rest on its roof.

Six other individuals, including the driver, were swiftly transported to the hospital with the help of both road and air ambulances.

The tight-knit community of Tarlee is grappling with this new tragedy, still reeling from a separate fatal accident that occurred just two weeks prior. This marks one of several heart-wrenching incidents that have taken place across the state during the festive period.

Local resident Michelle Warner expressed the shared sorrow, stating, “We recently faced a tragedy involving a family in our town, and we know all too well the profound impact it has.”

She continued, “It’s absolutely devastating, especially for the families and individuals affected.”

Locals say the highway is a major thoroughfare mainly used for trucks and have been calling for safety upgrades for years.

“I’ve lived here for 90 years, just about, but the roads, there’s not enough spent on them for the amount of traffic that’s being used with heavy trucks and things these days,” Gavin Dunn said.

“There are some really bad black spots, bumps in the road,” Warner said.

“I’ve followed caravans up the road jumping over the bumps behind the vehicles.”

The highway remained closed for most of the day, with the Tarago towed from the scene this afternoon.

With the fatal crash bringing SA’s 2025 road toll to 87 lives lost, emergency services have urged road users to plan their journeys safely in the new year.

“All of the major contributors to road trauma you can control, so plan your trip, take responsibility, keep us all safe on the road,” SA Police assistant commissioner Stuart McLean said.

The circumstances surrounding the crash are yet to be determined.