Sunshine Coast road toll: Police issue warning after 17 crash deaths

Footage of collisions, pile ups and near misses has been released with the Sunshine Coast’s top cop issuing a plea for drivers to take care as the region’s road toll rises to 17.

Several moments of madness on Sunshine Coast roads have been caught on video as the region’s top cop issues a plea to drivers to take care while behind the wheel.

The new footage has emerged as the community mourns the loss of Coolum Beach man Dale Ryan and Flaxton woman Nazma Khan after their deaths in separate car accidents on the Sunshine Coast in the last two weeks.

Since the start of the year there has been 17 road deaths, eight more than this time last year.

District Superintendent Craig Hawkins said the figure did not include serious traffic crashes that resulted in lifelong injuries.

Nazma Khan and Dale Ryan both lost their lives in separate car crashes on the Sunshine Coast in July 2022.

“Road trauma changes not only the life of the person injured, but also friends and family now caring for them,” Superintendent Hawkins said.

“Until it happens to someone you love, or you’re involved in the emergency response, it’s difficult to fathom the reality of serious traffic crashes.”

The video footage captured by the Department of Transport and Main Roads showed several moments where cars careered into other motorists on the Sunshine Mwy and Bruce Hwy.

Superintendent Hawkins said the vision showed the types of driver behaviour being undertaken on the road.

“I’m not even mentioning those people that are in serious traffic crashes that have lifelong injuries that they have to manage, whether they be a paraplegic as a consequence of lost limbs … it’s far broader than that,” he said.

He said an additional 20 officers were trained in drug and alcohol tests in a bid for more traffic operations targeted at impaired and dangerous driving.

“Whether you’re travelling along the Bruce Hwy or the Sunshine Mwy, even anywhere off the main arterials, you can expect to encounter police enforcement activity and we make no apologies for it,” Superintendent Hawkins said.

“It’s time for people to call out family or friends who may be engaged in dangerous driving and letting them know this behaviour just isn’t on.”