Nanango police urging drivers to be patient on D’Aguilar Hwy

Police are urging drivers to stay safe on Burnett roads following the tragic death of two drivers in the first few weeks 0f 2021.

The aftermath of a fatal traffic crash at Bakers Creek on the D'Aguilar Highway, July 10, 2020. Photo/Holly Cormack

In the first three weeks of 2021, the South Burnett community has been left shattered after losing two lives on local roads.

Just days apart two separate car accidents occurred on the notorious stretch of D'Aguilar Highway between Kingaroy and Nanango, leaving local police urging drivers to be patient.

On January 16 a 22-year-old Murgon woman was killed after a dual cab utility and a hatchback collided at the intersection of Chinchilla Wondai Road and Cushnie Road in Cushnie.

On January 18 a 32-year-old man was killed after his car collided with a rock before being sent flying into a tree six kilometres out of Yarraman on the D'Aguilar Highway.

Yesterday (January 20) a man in his 20s was treated with head injuries after his vehicle swerved off the road on the D'Aguilar Highway in Coolabunia.

According to Nanango Police officer in charge Brett Smith these car crashes extensively impact the community.

"The social impacts left behind from fatal crashes, the emotional cost on emergency services as well as family members that have lost someone as a result of actions that could have been prevented are detrimental on everyone's mental and physical health," Sen Sgt Smith said.

"Drivers need to take it carefully, it's not a perfect road but it's not a bad road. Driver error is the biggest contributor, so people need to take their time, not be selfish and be patient.

"There are lots of factors involved in the cause of crashes, however the primary cause, especially with fatal crashes is the fatal five, speeding, driving under the influence, not wearing seatbelts, fatigue and driver distraction."

Between 2001 and 2018, 22 lives were lost on the D'Aguilar Highway between Kingaroy and Kilcoy, one of the state's most treacherous lengths of road.

The South Burnett Times analysed data from the department of main roads, and made a shocking discovery of just how many crashes were listed as 'head-on'.

Between January 2000 and December 2018, the section of the highway between Kilcoy and Kingaroy has seen 779 incidents. Of these:

• 249 required hospitalisation and 22 were fatal.
• 69 incidents were described as 'head-on' - making up just 8.9 per cent of incidents
• Despite this, 35 of these head-on crashes, or more than 50 per cent, required hospitalisation or were fatal.
• 10 fatalities were listed as head on - meaning someone lost their life in 14 per cent of all head-on incidents
• Of the total number of fatalities during this period, 45% were head-on collisions.

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