Dumb and dangerous: Shocking footage captures lunatic driving

Australia’s dumbest and most dangerous drivers have been caught on camera in extraordinary footage released for the first time.

Footage has been released by police of some of the most dangerous driving accidents on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast following its highest road toll in years.

CCTV footage captured on the Sunshine Motorway at Sippy Downs shows a car smashing into the back of two other cars during torrential rain.

The footage’s release follows police’s announcement they have ramped up their response “to poor driver behaviour” across the district, with the number of lives lost on local roads steadily rising.

This year alone there have been 17 road deaths – 10 of them were involved in single-vehicle accidents, more than double the fatalities the region was hit with in the same time period last year.

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. Picture: Supplied

In the last two weeks alone there have been two deaths on the Sunshine Coast, including basketball coach Dale Ryan.

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,” he 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.”

On Thursday, the Queensland road toll stood at 156, compared to 137 for the same time last year.

On Mother’s Day weekend alone, nine people in their 20s and 30s died on Queensland roads, marking a dark 72 hours on the state’s roads.

Vaea Taavale was killed in a Mother's Day crash on Centenary Hwy. Picture: Facebook

Anthony Cooper was killed in a crash on the Centenary Hwy on Sunday. Picture: Supplied

Jacob Betts was killed when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a vehicle on Horse and Jockey Rd at Racecourse on May 8, 2022.

Sarina man Jordan Blanch was killed in a hit and run on Sarina Beach Rd on Mother's Day.

In a double fatality, Vaea Taavale, 22, and Anthony Cooper, 30, were killed at Springfield, west of Brisbane, in a horrific head-on collision.

Motorcyclist Jacob Betts was killed when his bike and a car collided on Horse and Jockey Rd in Dysart, north of Brisbane, just one hour after the fatal hit and run of Jordan Blanch, who was killed at Sarina, near Mackay.

Just 48 hours before, loving husband and father Brendan Tyrrell, 28, was travelling on his motorcycle along Woolcock St in the Townsville suburb of Garbutt when he clipped a stationary ute and was thrown from his bike.

Mr Hawkins said Sunshine Coast residents can expect to see police “anywhere, anytime targeting speeding, fatigue, inattention, not 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,” he said.

“Whether you’re travelling along the Bruce Hwy or the Sunshine Mwy, even anywhere off the main arterials, you can expect to encounter police enforcement activity and we make no apologies for it.”

Originally published as Dumb and dangerous: Shocking footage captures lunatic driving