Cromwell road death prompts $750,000 support from Tony Quinn

The Tony Quinn Foundation, Road Safety, will provide a $750,000 three-year support package to partner and fund the driver education programme Street Smart.

The donation follows the death of Kelan Stroud, who was killed in a three-vehicle accident in the Cromwell Gorge in March.

Stroud had held his restricted license for just one month. 

Kelan Stroud died in a Cromwell Gorge crash in March involving three vehicles.

The Stroud family reached out to Josie Spillane, Group CEO of Tony Quinn’s Motorsport Park’s in New Zealand which includes Highlands in Cromwell, to launch a Give A Little Campaign to support young drivers through practical education and experience.

In making the three year $750,000 donation The Motorsport Park's owner Tony Quinn says that it was time to "move the needle on road deaths in New Zealand". Alongside Tony and Josie, Supercars CEO Shane Howard, and Street Smart Trustee Greg Murphy he forged a partnership that Quinn says will make a life-saving difference in New Zealand.

Road crashes continue to be a grim reality for young drivers in New Zealand, claiming lives and causing injuries. Drivers under the age of 25 were found primarily responsible for over 3000 crashes in 2022 alone, claiming the lives of 93 people and injuring over 4000 more, 636 of those seriously.

Motorsports Park Group CEO Josie Spillane, who is also a trustee of the Tony Quinn Foundation, expressed the gravity of Kelan’s passing: “Cromwell was deeply affected by this tragedy. We were humbled to be entrusted by Kelan’s family to honour his memory and provide a meaningful experience for local youth. As parents ourselves, we recognise that the Stroud’s grief could have struck any of us.”

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Main Image (left to right): Shane Howard, Supercars CEO, Josie Spillane Group CEO Highlands Motorsport Park, Tony Quinn and Street Smart trustee Greg Murphy