Sunshine Coast police have ramped up their response to poor driver behaviour across the district, with the number of lives lost on local roads steadily rising.
In the year to date (2022) there has been 17 deaths following traffic crashes – the highest road toll on the Sunshine Coast in many years, and eight more fatalities than this time last year. In the last two weeks alone there have been two deaths.
District Superintendent Craig Hawkins said this figure does not even represent the serious traffic crashes that have resulted in lifelong injuries.
“Road trauma changes not only the life of the person injured, but also friends and family now caring for them,” Superintendent Hawkins said.
“Until it happens to someone you love, or you’re involved in the emergency response, it’s difficult to fathom the reality of serious traffic crashes.”
Superintendent Hawkins said Sunshine Coast residents can expect to see police anywhere, anytime targeting speeding, fatigue, inattention, wearing seat belts, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“I’m reminding those people that wish to put the lives of others at risk on our roads, Sunshine Coast Police will be focusing our energy on road safety and driver behaviour.
“Whether you’re travelling along the Bruce Highway or the Sunshine Motorway, even anywhere off the main arterials, you can expect to encounter police enforcement activity and we make no apologies for it.
“It’s time for people to call out family or friends who may be engaged in dangerous driving and letting them know this behaviour just isn’t on.”
To illustrate the types of driver behaviour that leads to serious traffic crashes, DTMR has released the below vision of incidents to the QPS that have occurred within the last two years on Sunshine Coast roads.
1 – Sunshine Motorway at Sippy Downs, May 2022
2 – Sunshine Motorway at Mountain Creek, September 2020
3 – Bruce Highway at Palmview, September 2021 (blown tyre)
4 – July 2022
5 – Bruce Highway, Elimbah, April 2022
