Four dead after five separate car crashes overnight

Four people including a 19-year-old Inala man, have died on Queensland roads in the past 24 hours. Police fear if the attitudes of drivers don’t change, it could be an “absolutely horrific” school holiday period.

FIVE separate vehicle incidents have killed four people, leaving another three seriously injured, on Queensland roads in the past 24 hours.

A 19-year-old Inala man died in a crash in Brisbane’s south overnight, a 34-year-old Kirwan was killed near Caldwell, a 37-year-old motorcyclist died on the Sunshine Coast and a 92-year-old man died in Toowoomba.

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Witnesses tried to save the life the man killed in a “high impact” crash near Cardwell.

A Queensland Police officer has revealed the horror confronting first responders, after four people died in just one day on the state’s roads.

“For our first responders, and I speak hear the firies and the ambos, when we get that call that we are going to a crash that is serious with people entrapped or with people no longer living there is an absolute shudder that goes through your body, there’s a shiver down your spine because you don’t know what you are going to see,” Inspector Peter Flanders said.

“ What I can tell you is you’re absolutely not going to see a lovely peaceful human being sitting in the car with their eyes closed. That is for TV and TV only.

“What you see is usually a horrific scene with blood everywhere, people screaming, and that stays with you for the rest of your life trust me.”

Insp Flanders said it was an ominous start to the school holiday road safety initiative Operation Cold Snap.

“If we continue this way it’s going to be an absolutely horrific period of three weeks.

“It’s up to every driver to take responsibility for their actions on the road, to take responsibility for the people who are in their car.

“They really need to look at every person in the car and go ‘if I’m going to drive irresponsibly which one of you am I nominating not to come home with me’.

“And if you are a driver and you are prepared to do that you should hand in your licence immediately.”

Insp Flanders begged parents to set the right example for their children.

“If you’re the parent who drives out the driveway and doesn’t put the seatbelt on for the first kilometre you’re teaching your child to do that,” he said.

“If you’re the parent who doesn’t quite stop at the stop sign you’re teaching your child to do that.

“So we beg of you, ask yourself that question – what am I teaching my child today.”

Flowers have been left at the scene of a crash that killed a 19-year-old man. Picture: Richard Gosling

A 19-year-old Inala man has died while two others remain in a serious condition after a single vehicle traffic crash in Brisbane’s south last night.

A car was travelling north on Ritchie Road in Pallara before the driver lost control, hitting a power pole just after about 10pm.

The 19-year-old and back seat passenger was pronounced dead at the scene.

While the driver, an 18-year-old Park Ridge woman, was taken to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital with serious injuries.

The scene of a crash in Pallara that killed a 19-year-old man and left two others seriously injured. Pallara Picture: Richard Gosling

Another passenger, a 17-year-old teenage boy, was taken to Princess Alexandra hospital with serious injuries.

Near Cardwell, a 34-year-old Kirwan man has died after his car crashed into a tree yesterday evening.

The man was travelling along the Bruce Highway before he struck a tree, causing the car to catch fire south of Cardwell just after about 5pm.

Public residents rushed to the man’s side, attempting to rescue him from the car, however were unsuccessful.

The man, and sole occupant of the vehicle, was declared dead at the scene.

In Parklands, a 37-year-old motorcyclist has died after he struck a vehicle yesterday afternoon.

Initial investigations indicate the blue motorcycle was heading south on Nambour Connection Road before it hit a black Toyota travelling north off the Bruce Highway at about 11.30am.

The motorcyclist was transported to Nambour Hospital, however was declared dead shortly afterwards.

In Toowoomba, a 92-year-old Centenary Heights man has died after a car collided with a mobility scooter.

The car hit the scooter as it was travelling through a roundabout at about 10am yesterday.

The collision caused the rider to fall off the scooter onto Geddes Street, where he suffered life-threatening injuries.

The 92-year-old man was transported to Toowoomba Hospital where he later passed away.

The two people in the vehicle were not physically injured.

In Barmaryee, a serious traffic crash has left a 32-year-old man in hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Police allege the motorcyclist overtook several vehicles before hitting a small truck which was turning from Barmaryee Road into Racecourse Road just before 3pm yesterday.

The man suffered chest and head injuries and was flown to Brisbane where he remains in a serious condition.

Queensland Police are appealing for anyone who may have been travelling in the areas at the time of the crashes, or has dashcam vision, to come forward.

The Forensic Crash Unit is continuing to investigate each incident.