Qld road toll: Dark week of carnage with 16 deaths in seven days

Queensland has posted a staggering 16 road deaths in just seven days, with warnings it is on track for a record annual toll.

The horrific scene after a crash in Central Queensland that claimed four lives. Picture: 7 News

Four people, including a six-year-old boy and a seven-year-old girl, have been killed in a horror crash in Queensland’s central highlands on Sunday.

The tragedy brought the state’s road toll to a staggering 16 deaths in just seven days, with a peak motoring body warning Queensland is again on track to post a record year of road deaths.

A total of 158 people have died due to road crashes as of July 20 – six of those on Saturday and Sunday.

A 28-year-old man, six-year-old boy, seven-year-old girl and 32-year-old man were killed in the horror crash on the Capricorn Highway between Comet and Blackwater on Sunday about 10.50am.

Two others were transported to hospital with serious injuries from that crash.

On Saturday morning, a 45-year-old North Mackay man died on the Bruce Highway at Mount Pleasant after he lost control of his motorbike and crashed into the back of a trailer.

At 6am that same day, an 18-year-old Kingaroy man who was lying on a road was killed after being struck by a car in Hivesville.

Four people died in a head-on crash on the Capricorn Highway on Sunday. Picture: 7 News

On Friday evening, three friends, all 19, died after the green Mazda sedan they were in crashed head-on with a ute about 10.30pm on the Mackay Ring Road.

Police are investigating if fog played a part in that crash.

That same night a 26-year-old man died in Tamborine after he fell from his vehicle.

The horror week began on Monday when Barbra Poen, 79, died while cycling to meet her husband Cornelis and their friends for a weekly coffee catch-up.

On Wednesday, 14-year-old Declan Phillips died after being struck by a car in Wynnum on his walk to school.

RACQ head of public policy Dr Michael Kane said the state was on track for another deadly year on its roads.

In 2024, road deaths in the state soared to 302, the highest in 15 years.

“We are not going in the right direction. It means we are on track to equal or beat last year’s record,” Dr Kane said.

“Since 2019, our road toll has been trending in the wrong direction … if we had continued with the pre-Covid trend, we would be looking at coming under 200 fatalities this year, but instead we are looking at the road toll getting worse and again being over 300.”

The scene of a horror crash where three teenagers were tragically killed at Glenella, near Mackay.

Police Minister Dan Purdie said the lives lost were not just statistics, but loved ones, family, friends, and members of the community.

“We mourn deeply for each person whose life has been cut short,” he said.

“Our police are doing everything they can, but enforcement alone is not enough. Road safety is a shared responsibility. I urge every Queenslander to make safe choices, not just for yourself, but for every person on our roads.”

Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said he was “deeply saddened” by the lives lost on Queensland roads.

“These are sobering figures, but we know they represent far more than numbers. They are people who will never go home to their family,” he said.

“My thoughts are with everyone affected.”

Queensland Police Acting Superintendent Steve Newland said, despite increased patrols, operations and public awareness campaigns, there were still “too many Queenslanders taking unnecessary risks” on roads.

Originally published as Qld road toll: Dark week of carnage with 16 deaths in seven days