Three-Year-Old Girl Killed in Car and Truck Collision on Sandy Church Road – Sandilands, Yorke Peninsula, SA – 31 October 2025

What happened

Incident Overview

A three-year-old girl has died following a tragic collision between a car and a truck on Sandy Church Road near Sandilands, on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula, on Friday afternoon, October 31, 2025.

Emergency services were called to the crash site near Davies Road just before 3:00 pm, where paramedics found the young girl critically injured. Despite their efforts, she could not be saved and was declared deceased at the scene.

A 31-year-old local woman, who was driving the car, suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to hospital for urgent treatment.

The 71-year-old truck driver, a Yorke Peninsula man, was not physically injured. Major Crash investigators are examining the scene to determine the cause of the collision.

“The young passenger could not be saved when paramedics arrived at the crash near Davies Road.” — SA Police / 7NEWS

• Crash Date: Friday, October 31, 2025 (approximately 3:00 pm)
• Location: Sandy Church Road near Davies Road, Sandilands, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

• Passenger car — carrying a 31-year-old woman and a 3-year-old girl
• Truck — driven by a 71-year-old Yorke Peninsula man

• Fatality:
  • Three-year-old girl — passenger in the car; died at the scene despite paramedics’ efforts.
• Serious Injuries:
  • 31-year-old woman — driver of the car; airlifted to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
• No Injuries:
  • 71-year-old truck driver — uninjured, remained at the scene and assisted police.

The small farming community of Sandilands has been left devastated by the tragedy. Local residents and emergency responders have expressed condolences to the family, describing the crash as a heartbreaking reminder of the risks on rural roads where heavy vehicles and smaller cars frequently share narrow lanes.

Road safety advocates have renewed calls for increased visibility signage, improved intersections, and continued investment in rural road upgrades across the Yorke Peninsula.

“This is a devastating loss for a local family and for our community. Our thoughts are with them at this incredibly difficult time.” — Local resident, via 7NEWS Adelaide

Emergency Response

• Emergency crews arrived at the rural crash site shortly after 3:00 pm.
• Paramedics treated the 31-year-old woman before she was airlifted to hospital by helicopter.
• The 3-year-old child could not be revived and was declared deceased at the scene.
• Police established a major crash scene on Sandy Church Road, closing traffic in both directions during investigation and recovery operations.

“Crash investigators remain at the site, to understand how the tragedy occurred.” — South Australia Police

Investigation

The Major Crash Investigation Section (SA Police) is investigating the cause of the collision, focusing on:

• Visibility, road surface, and conditions along Sandy Church Road at the time of the crash.
• Vehicle movement sequence leading to the collision between the truck and car.
• Whether mechanical fault, driver fatigue, or speed contributed to the crash.
• Eyewitness accounts and any available dashcam footage from passing motorists or nearby residents.

The child’s death marks the 74th life lost on South Australian roads in 2025, continuing a concerning rise in regional road fatalities across the state.

Appeal for Information

South Australia Police are urging anyone with information or footage related to the collision to contact:

• Crime Stoppers SA: Call 1800 333 000 or submit information online at [www.crimestopperssa.com.au](https://www.crimestopperssa.com.au)
• Major Crash Investigation Section: Provide details directly to SA Police investigators.