Police plead with drivers after three people killed on roads

‘Despite police who keep pushing this message, we have three fatalities in less than a week.’

Picture: John Gass

THE deaths of three people in less than a week on Mackay roads has prompted an impassioned plea from police leading into the Christmas holidays.

"Any loss of life on the road is tragic, particularly coming up to the festive season where we've seen three fatalities in five days," Superintendent Glen Morris said.

Yesterday a Far North Queensland man was killed in a horror highway smash at the Mount Pelion turn-off.

Initial investigations indicated the ute the 57 year old, from north of Cairns, was driving left the northbound lane of the Bruce Highway about 2.15pm.

The driver of an oncoming car took evasive action, narrowly avoiding a collision with the ute, which clipped the van being towed behind.

The impact of the collision decimated the caravan and destroyed the ute.

Less than 24 hours earlier Sarina man Hans Ah Chee, 55, tragically died when the work ute he was driving rolled at the base of the Eton range.

On Saturday night a 12-year-old girl from the Pioneer Valley was killed after the car she was travelling in collided with the rear of a truck near Mirani.

This brings the year's road toll to seven.

"If I could just urge all motorists to consider the fatal five - fatal traffic incidents are very tragic for the family of the people involved, tragic for emergency services personal who attend," Supt Morris said.

The family travelling in the car and caravan had been travelling south towards Mackay after a holiday on Hamilton Island. The two adults and two children escaped without any physical injury.

Eton's Sergeant Marshall Roper implored motorists to be safe on the roads, particularly in the lead-up to the Christmas and holiday period.

"We just urge motorists to please pay attention to the road, be aware of what's happening around them and, if tired, stop and rest," he said.

"It's tragic for all the first responders to keep dealing with it.

"Despite police who keep pushing this message, we have three fatalities in less than a week."

Sgt Roper said the impacts of road trauma had a ripple effect in communities and left families devastated.

"The fact of these traffic crashes is they don't just stop at the people involved," he said.

"The first responders, the families, through Christmas and beyond - everything and everyone is affected.

"Things are never the same again for those people."

Investigations are continuing with police appealing for any relevant dashcam footage.