As tens of thousands of school leavers prepare to travel throughout Queensland over the coming weeks to celebrate the end of their schooling years, police are focused on ensuring these celebrations do not end in tragedy on our roads.
With new and inexperienced drivers overrepresented in serious traffic crashes, police will be out patrolling our highways, rural roads and beaches, to enforce the road rules and ensure safe driving behaviours.
Safety at Schoolies begins with getting to the destination and ends with getting home safely.
As lives lost on Queensland roads could reach 300 for the year, Superintendent Peter Flanders urged Schoolies to consider the consequences of their actions on the road, not just for themselves but also for their passengers, mates, family and the community.
“When it comes to road safety for Schoolies, it’s about arriving safely and considering your actions during the week,” Superintendent Flanders said.
“P platers are a very high-risk age group and we all too often see that they are not invincible on the road, their actions can have direct and very real consequences on their lives and those around them.
“It’s important that young adults understand when making these decisions, that over is over.
“Over the speed limit is over the speed limit, you’re not just a little bit over. Over the blood alcohol limit is over, you’re not just a little bit over.
“Getting in the car with someone who has been affected by drugs or alcohol, could mean your life is over”.
Police encourage parents and carers to speak with their school leavers about removing themselves from a situation that feels wrong and to organise a back-up plan, including having a parent or relative pick them up, public transport or rideshare.
Celebrate without tragedy and remember these tips on the road:
- Drive to the road conditions, don’t get caught out and find yourself out of your depth, when road or weather conditions change rapidly.
- Don’t drive when you are tired – fatigue is one of the top five factors in road crashes.
- Don’t speed and wear your seatbelt. They are two very simple things that you can do to arrive safely.
- Take a break or take turns driving. The beach isn’t going anywhere!
- There’ll be plenty of time for Insta posts when you arrive; distraction kills and you are four times more likely to crash by using your mobile phone.
- We know that many Schoolies are looking forward to a week-long party but if you’re drinking, don’t get behind the wheel.
- If you have consumed drugs, remember they stay in your body for days, and roadside drug testing will find them.
- Beaches are roads too, so road rules and speed limits apply, just like any other road.
- If your vehicle has illegal modifications, they risk your safety, your passengers safety and other road users safety, so fines of up to $460 may apply and your vehicle could be forced off the road and onto a tow truck.
