Mackay couple share story as part of National Road Safety Week

‘Changed our lives forever’: Former business owners still battle long-term effects 10 years after the fatal crash and are sharing their story in a bid to prevent future road trauma.

Tony and Vicki Wilson's lives changed in an instant when they were involved in a horrific head-on collision on the Bruce Highway, about 6km north of Carmila on May 2, 2011.

The former owners of two Moranbah service stations are still facing long-lasting effects after a horrific head-on collision a decade ago.

Tony and Vicki Wilson's lives changed in an instant when they were involved in a head-on collision on the Bruce Highway, about 6km north of Carmila on May 2, 2011.

It was understood two German tourists were travelling on the wrong side of the road over a hill and collided into the couple as the driver swerved to correct the vehicle.

The male driver was injured and the passenger died on impact.

The wreckage of the two cars was strewn across the road and closed the highway for seven hours as emergency services worked frantically to free the trapped occupants from the crumpled vehicles and fly them to hospital.

Tony and Vicki Wilson's lives changed in an instant when they were involved in a horrific head-on collision on the Bruce Highway, about 6km north of Carmila on May 2, 2011.

The couple, who were living in Moranbah at the time but now live in Erakala, Mackay, count themselves incredibly lucky, but also unlucky, as they acknowledge the 10th anniversary of the crash.

"I remember being wheeled to the helicopter groaning in pain," Mrs Wilson said.

"I remember the sound of the helicopter blades whirring overhead and opening my eyes in the aircraft and the doctor saying 'we will be at the hospital soon'.

"I couldn't believe what had happened when I woke from my coma, as we know the road like the back of our hand, as we had done a lot of travelling with our businesses."

Mr and Mrs Wilson both suffered very serious injuries and were in hospital for six weeks.

Accident victims Vicki and Tony Wilson returned to CQ Rescue after the crash to thank the staff.

Mrs Wilson suffered a fractured sternum, blood clots in her lungs, one collapsed lung, broken ribs, bruising, a broken right ankle which needed two pins, a broken left wrist which needed wiring and a deep laceration to her right arm near the elbow which needed staples.

She also lost part of her large bowel and needed surgical repairs to her small bowel, required a colostomy bag and 36 staples down her stomach.

She was placed in a coma for 24 hours due to the severity of her injuries and later developed pneumonia.

Mr Wilson had a fractured disc in his back pushing on his spine, so he had to be flat on his back in hospital, then wear a special spinal brace.

He suffered a broken finger, a broken left leg which needed plating and seven screws, serious bruising, fractured ribs and issues with his lungs.

The Wilsons' recovery process a decade later is still slow, with the pair both living with constant pain and ongoing trauma.

"Tony has never been the same. He has PTSD and can't walk or sit for long," Mrs Wilson said.

"He's in constant pain with his back and he's not the same person he was before the accident."

Tony and Vicki Wilson are sharing their story as part of National Road Safety Week.

She said their ongoing medical issues and rehabilitation meant they couldn't return to the businesses in Moranbah, which employed 40 staff.

"We had been living in Moranbah for 17 years and lived in Mackay all our lives prior to that," Mrs Wilson said.

"But this accident changed our lives forever.

"It makes us both so sad that we started out with nothing and worked so hard for so many years for it all to be so tragically taken away by someone being so careless.

"I really want people to know that without RACQ CQ Rescue there would be a lot of people not alive today due to road trauma.

"They will always be close to my heart and very high on my list of organisations so very worthy of support."

The couple is sharing their story in a bid to prevent further death on the roads as part of National Road Safety Week, from May 16 to 23.

Since January, the Mackay-based rescue helicopter service RACQ CQ Rescue has completed 18 missions airlifting people with serious and life-threatening injuries due to motor vehicle accidents in Central Queensland.

RACQ spokeswoman Clare Hunter said the rate of people dying on the roads this year was truly staggering.

"While RACQ CQ Rescue crews do a phenomenal job saving lives on Queensland roads, we'd rather you didn't have to meet them so we're asking all motorists to drive like their lives depend on it," she said.

"So please don't speed, don't be distracted behind the wheel, don't drive if you're tired or have been drinking, and make sure everybody is wearing a seatbelt.

"Whether you're in a vehicle, on a motorbike or on a bicycle think about what you're doing on the roads, pay attention to the changing road conditions and show some courtesy towards other road users."

Originally published as 'Never the same': CQ couple recounts horror head-on crash