Crash victim’s mum on a mission for Road Safety Awareness Week

It took Judy Lindsay 10 years to feel she “could finally breathe again” after losing her daughter in a crash caused by a drink driver. She said she felt “derailed” when, just minutes after she spoke of her daughter to Redland mayor Karen Williams, the mayor herself drove drunk and crashed a car.

Road safety advocate Judy Lindsay said she had felt “derailed” when, just minutes after she spoke to Redland mayor Karen Williams about her daughter’s death in a crash caused by a drink driver, the mayor herself drove drunk and crashed a car.

Ms Lindsay has spent the past 13 years working to make the state’s roads safer after her only daughter, Hayley Russell, died in 2009.

Her mission to speak to as many children and rural communities as possible ahead of this year’s Road Safety Awareness Week included an online meeting she had with Ms Williams in June. Minutes later Ms Williams drove drunk and crashed her luxury council car.

Road safety advocate Judy Lindsay. Picture: Matthew Poon

Ms Lindsay said the past month had been very draining and, at times, she felt “derailed” knowing she had been telling Hayley’s story to the Redland mayor. No-one was injured as a result of the mayor’s crash.

Ms Lindsay said before the meeting the mayor had asked for her help on road safety and the Youth Justice Act.

She said she felt disrespected by Ms Williams’ actions given the story she had just told in the Zoom meeting about her daughter. She added the mayor had called Ms Lindsay in tears to apologise after, and Ms Lindsay said she was now focused on getting her message across for Road Safety Awareness Week, which is from August 22 to 26.

“The best way for me to come forward from this was to get out and do what I do best and that’s community work, sharing Hayley’s story and raising road safety awareness and saving lives on our roads.”

Redlands Mayor Karen Williams addresses the media after being convicted on her drink driving charge, following a traffic crash in Cleveland on June 23. Picture: Matthew Poon

The strong-willed real estate agent has travelled the length and breadth of the state telling her heartbreaking story and giving families of road trauma guidance on how she reassembled the pieces of her life to help save others.

Judy Lindsay’s daughter Hayley Russell died when a drunk driver crashed the car she was a passenger in at Alexandra Hills in 2009. Her mother has now devoted her life to advocating road safety.

“Life was good, we were happy we had good careers and jobs. Hayley was very popular and everyone she met loved her. I was enjoying watching her grow into a beautiful young woman who had so much empathy for people and helped and supported anyone who needed it … Nothing prepared me for that phone call.

Hayley Russell with her mother Judy Lindsay.

“At 11.34pm on May 16, 2009 my life changed forever,” Ms Lindsay said.

“I received a phone call from an ambulance officer who called and asked me if I was Hayley’s mum.

“I said ‘yes’. The woman said Hayley had been in a very serious car accident.

“I said ‘is she all right?’, and the woman said, ‘no, unfortunately we were unable to revive her’.

“I went straight to the crash site. I was on the side of the road with Hayley’s body in disbelief that this was happening.

“I live with knowing that Hayley was frightened and wanted to get out of the car but he wouldn’t stop.

“He took Hayley’s life in his hands and threw it away.

“It took me 10 years to feel like I could finally breathe again. It has been a lot of hard work and digging deep to find inner strength on the hard days to survive — but I did.

“I still have bad days but they are getting further apart. I think of her every day and I always knew that I would create something positive out of Hayley’s death.”

Ms Lindsay, who sells property in rural and town areas, said her intention was to educate drivers on the effects of drunk driving, drug driving, texting, and speeding while driving.

She said she was also available to help and support parents who have suffered the loss of a child.

“We are not meant to bury our children,” she said, “they are meant to bury us in this cycle of life.”

Judy Lindsay works with police and other community groups and councils to promote road safety awareness and good driver behaviour across the state.

By August 21, 192 people had died on the state’s roads compared to 179 at this time last year.

Along with Ms Lindsay’s advocacy, Queensland Police Service also offers The Braking the Cycle program run by PCYC Queensland and the Logan Tyre Deflation Device trial, which received the State Government Programs Award.

Deputy Commissioner Paul Taylor said keeping the state’s roads was a joint effort between police and the community.

“Police regularly partner with community groups, other government and non-government agencies and these projects are representative of some of those partnerships,” he said.

“We can’t reduce road trauma alone, it takes the whole community coming together to support and encourage the behaviours of their family, friends and peers on our roads.

“But, ultimately, it comes down to the individual making good decisions on our roads.”

■ Queensland Police and Ms Lindsay have produced a documentary video on road safety which tells of the tragedy of Hayley’s death.

It can be viewed here using this link: https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/news/2020/07/17/survive-the-drive-judys-road-safety-story/

Originally published as Crash victim’s mum on a mission for Road Safety Awareness Week