Bribie Island residents blast crossing changes where woman, toddler and baby boy hit by ute

Bribie Island residents have blasted changes to a crossing where a woman and two children were hit by a ute driven by a 95-year-old.

Bribie Island residents say an intersection where a woman and her two young children were hit by a ute had become a safety issue since a pedestrian crossing was replaced by traffic lights.

A woman aged in her 30s, a six-month-old boy and four-year-old girl were struck when crossing at a set of traffic lights on Goodwin Dr outside Bribie Island Shopping Centre about midday Monday.

The vehicle was driven by a 95-year-old man.

The impact sent the baby boy flying from his carrier and on to the road.

“He was awake, his eyes were open, he was breathing okay but he was very limp and not responsive,” witness Angela Degaetano said.

He and his sister were seriously injured and taken to Queensland Children’s Hospital, both in a serious condition. Their conditions were updated to stable on Tuesday morning.

Their mother was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in a stable condition.

No charges have been laid against the driver, who was taken to Caboolture Hospital for observation.

Bribie Island residents took to social media in the 24 hours since the incident to blast the new traffic lights, claiming they had made the crossing more dangerous since they were installed this year.

The traffic lights were installed earlier this year, replacing an existing zebra crossing. Picture Lachie Millard

“The crossing is 100 per cent in the wrong place,” Toni Holani wrote on Facebook.

“Before the lights I couldn't see anyone crossing til last minute and now it just seems now like people ignore the lights.”

Others agreed, calling the intersection “a debacle” and “an accident waiting to happen”.

“We need those trees lopped around the roundabout so there’s at least visibility of what’s happening on the other side, or pull it out and do a proper intersection,” Petah-Jane Auckland-Hall said.

Forensic Crash officers on scene at Bongaree where a mother, a baby and toddler were hit by a car outside the Bribie Island Shopping Centre. Picture Lachie Millard

“It’s such a dangerous spot already between two large roundabouts and entry driveway to very busy car park. This road is extremely busy and about to get much worse at the new hospital end,” Kerryn Elliot said.

A spokesman for Moreton Bay Regional Council said they were unable to comment on the matter since the crash was now the subject of a police investigation.

“Council is assisting police with their investigations, and will be able to provide comments once that investigation has concluded.”

The Courier-Mail understands the council has provided CCTV of the horror crash to investigators.

Federal Member for Longman Terry Young said earlier this year the crossing had been a problem site for rear-end crashes for some time. He said Moreton Bay Regional Council had nominated the site for funding as part of the Morrison government’s $1.1 billion Black Spot Program, which funded the installation of the lights earlier this year.

Pumicestone MP Ali King said her thoughts were with those involved in Monday’s “terrible” incident.

“We don’t know yet what the contributing factors may have been, but I’ll be engaging with council about whether any safety upgrades might be required for the crossing,” she said.

The incident and the age of the driver involved has also triggered debate over what licence restrictions should be applied to elderly drivers in Queensland.

Motorists aged 75 and over are required by law to undergo a medical check at least once a year.

“This means that if you are 75 or over, and want to keep driving, you must go back to your doctor at least every year,” Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads states on its website.

“This does not affect the expiry date of your driver licence, which is shown on your driver licence.”

Medical certificates are typically valid for 13 months for convenience, but some doctors may only approve shorter time frames if they deem it appropriate.

Drivers can also choose to voluntarily surrender their licence and instead request a photo identification card.