M1 crash at Upper Coomera an example of what drivers see every day on roads

Video has revealed the moment it all went wrong for two drivers on the M1 at the Gold Coast, in scenes all too familiar to weary motorists. SEE THE VIDEO

Police and the state government collect all sorts of statistics about our roads, and the crashes on them.

Detailed information is recorded on road crash locations, driver demographics and the type of vehicles involved.

The involvement of factors including alcohol, speed, fatigue and vehicle defects are all collected.

What the statistics do not record, however, is what is likely the most important – the mental state of the drivers.

How many accidents, particularly when traffic is heavy, are caused simply because someone has lost their patience, or even lost their temper?

Statistics will never be able to tell us. But examples can be seen on our roads every day of the week.

Images from a dashcam video showing a crash on the M1 at Upper Coomera on August 31. Picture: Dash Cam Owners Australia.

An example, recorded on video, emerged on popular social media site Dash Cam Owners Australia only recently.

It showed a white ute changing lanes amid heavy traffic, heading northbound along the M1 at Upper Coomera.

When the ute moved to the left from the innermost lane – what many people would call the “fast lane” – a black car that had been travelling in front of the ute immediately followed.

The ute then sharply swerved back to the right, losing control and colliding with the black car, forcing traffic following behind to a halt.

In comments, a woman who said she was the driver of the ute said the incident was the culmination of interactions that had been occurring for some time.

“The black car cut me off and brake checked me and scared the shit out of me hence the swerve back to my lane,” she said.

“ … I was trying to get away from him because of his driving skills. Slowing down all the way to 95 in the fast lane without brakes then speeding all the way up, then slowing down again whenever I was able to get to speed.

“I over corrected way too hard – I definitely understand that now – but far out he was such an awful driver and I was just trying to avoid an accident by changing lanes.”

Superintendent Peter Miles. Picture: Keith Woods.

Thankfully nobody appears to have been seriously injured in the incident, although it’s clear there was a lot of distress caused.

The verdict of people commenting on the video online about the causes was decidedly mixed. This column invites readers to view the video by clicking the play button at the top of this story and come to their own conclusions.

However it is abundantly clear that many people are weary of behaviour they are witnessing every day on Gold Coast roads, and the traffic congestion they cause.

Most weary of all are police who have to deal with the consequences.

Speaking generally on Monday about behaviour on our roads, Superintendent Peter Miles had some advice for all drivers.

“There is no added advantage in getting somewhere five minutes early, compared to what could happen,” he said. “We’ve just got to learn to slow down.

“A lot of these accidents are avoidable. They’re not accidents, there’s always someone at fault. “If we just take our time, be a bit more considerate and patient.”

Sound advice that, if followed, would leave statisticians with a lot less data to collect.

Follow @keithjwoods

Originally published as M1 crash at Upper Coomera an example of what drivers see every day on roads