Assistant Commissioner Ben Marcus has spoke of risks to motorcyclists this Christmas

Queensland is set to record its highest number of road fatalities in more than a decade, with the latest figures from Transport and Main Roads revealing cause.

Queensland is set to record its highest number of road fatalities in more than a decade amid a huge increase in motorcyclists tragically dying on the state’s roads.

The latest figures from Transport and Main Roads reveal motorcyclist fatalities have increased 44.3 per cent on the five year average this year – and it follows a massive increase in registered motorbikes.

Police are urging motorbike riders to get refresher courses, as they warn all motorists that they will soon see more high visibility road safety enforcement – particularly for drug and drink driving.

A person on a motorbike. Picture: iStock

The Sunday Mail can reveal the number of registered motorbikes in Queensland jumped from 213,181 in June 30, 2019 to 232,052 by June 30 this year – reflecting an 8.8 per cent increase in two years.

Assistant Commissioner Ben Marcus said the pandemic had limited opportunities for Queenslanders to travel interstate and overseas, which meant they had more discretionary income to spend on “toys”.

“New bike riders and returning bike riders are our main focus of the road safety campaigns,” Mr Marcus said.

Assistant Commissioner Ben Marcus. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“Riding a motorbike takes a lot more thought and input than driving a car.

“Part of our advice is if you’re thinking of a Christmas present for a motorcycle rider … I guarantee you they don’t have a motorcycle refresher training course.”

The latest road safety data from TMR shows that as of December 11 this year, there had been 281 deaths on Queensland roads.

The last time Queensland recorded more road deaths was in 2009, when there were 331 fatalities – and there have already been more deaths this year since the December 11 figures were released.

Motorcycle fatalities accounted for 71 of the 281 deaths that had occurred by December 11, which was up 44.3 per cent from the five year average between 2017 and 2021.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey conceded it had been a “terrible year” on Queensland roads.

“In 2019, we had the lowest road toll since records began, and that trend was continuing in early 2020,” he said.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey. Picture: John Gass

“The pandemic hit, and we’ve seen some major changes in behaviour in every way of life, including on our roads.”

Mr Bailey suggested a “big factor” in the increase in road deaths in 2022 was the heavy rain and flooding throughout the state earlier in the year, when 14 lives were lost due to floodwaters.

“Even though we haven’t seen the same level of rain this summer so far, my message is – if it’s flooded, forget it,” the Minister said.

“Naturally heavy rain and storms also create dangerous driving conditions, and this was a factor in a number of the fatal crashes we saw, especially in the first six months of the year.”

New car safety features. Picture: iStock

Professor Narelle Haworth from QUT’s Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety-Queensland said there had been an increase in road usage in Queensland due to the growth in the state’s population.

She also suggested the Covid pandemic had played a role in the increasing number of fatalities on the roads in recent years.

“Because there was fewer people on the road, then those people who were on the road were actually able to travel at higher speeds,” Professor Haworth said.

Professor Narelle Haworth. Picture: Supplied

“I’m not saying they were speeding necessarily – but they were able to travel at higher speeds because there was less congestion.”

Professor Haworth said there were still a lot of people who were unwilling to use public transport, because they viewed it as a health risk, which meant they were using private vehicles to travel to work instead.

“We know public transport is the safest way of travelling,” she said. “They’re actually moving to something which is less safe.”

According to TMR, in addition to the upward trend in motorcyclist deaths, there has also been an increase in fatalities involving young drivers aged between 17 and 20.

In the last financial year, the state government rolled out a suite of road safety measures – including hi-tech cameras that catch out drivers using their mobile phones behind the wheel.

Mr Bailey said the number of mobile phone offences had started to “drop away”, particularly in the second half of 2022.

Hand touching a phone in a holder while driving a car. Picture: Supplied

A spokesman for TMR said the department would prioritise a significant review of the state’s approach to drug driving in 2023, as well as implement a “Ride to Zero” motorcycle safety program.

Assistant Commissioner Marcus warned that the Christmas period was one of the “most dangerous periods” to be in the car or on a motorbike, as he urged motorists to break up long journeys on the road.

“Don’t try and drive from Brisbane to Sydney in one hit. You can’t do it,” he said.

“And the second thing is if you’re going to drink, don’t drive. If you’re going to drive, don’t drink.”