Emergency services respond to serious two-vehicle crash at Westbrook

A person has suffered life-threatening injuries in a major two-vehicle crash south of Toowoomba as police investigate the cause of the incident. DETAILS.

Emergency services have responded to a serious crash south of Toowoomba.

Police are investigating the cause of a head-on crash south of Toowoomba that has left a man fighting for life in hospital.

A major road was closed in both directions after the two-vehicle at Westbrook, where one person was cut out of a vehicle.

A Queensland Fire Department spokesperson said three crews arrived at the scene just before 7pm Monday to a two vehicle crash along Westbrook Wyreema Rd in the westbound lane.

“When we got there we got into action with cutting gear to free that person and helped release one person from the vehicle, and was freed just after 7.05pm,” a spokeswoman said.

The Toowoomba Athol Rd has since been closed in both directions following the serious traffic crash.

A Queensland Ambulance spokesperson said two people were taken to Toowoomba Hospital, one with life-threatening chest injuries, and another in a stable condition with no reported injuries.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman said the Forensic Crash Unit would be investigating the cause of the incident.

The crash comes on the first day of a statewide blitz for Road Safety Week.

Statistics released on Monday show that the Darling Downs District had the most deaths this year with 30 followed by 19 in the North Brisbane District and 18 in the Far North.

Police, firefighters and paramedics have been called to more than 5300 crashes that have left more than 4700 people with serious or life-changing injuries.

Speaking at the launch of Queensland Road Safety Week, Queensland Police Service Assistant Commissioner Kath Innes said young people and motorcyclists were over represented in crash statistics recorded in the region.

“Young people generally are inexperienced and they may engage in risky behaviour, while motorcyclists sometimes are not seen very well on the road, sometimes they speed and when they are involved in a crash it can be fatal,” she said.

Through the week police take a zero-tolerance approach to road users who bend or break the road rules.

They will pay close attention to the Fatal Five – speeding, distracted driving, fatigue, failing to wear seatbelts, and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Originally published as Emergency services respond to serious two-vehicle crash at Westbrook