Road Safety Week: Road deaths hit 15 year peak in horror crash period

Haunting shrieks ring out from the roadside, a family has just realised their critically injured son has been pronounced dead. The sound will stay with Cairns firefighter Tarrant Green forever, along with the knowledge that it perhaps could have been avoided.

Queensland Fire Department's Tarrant Green has recalled some shocking and horrific road traffic crashes that he has been assigned to in his role as firefighter and rescue technician. Picture: Brendan Radke

The haunting shrieks of family ringing out from the roadside on realising their critically injured loved one has been pronounced dead is something that will stay with firefighter Tarrant Green until the end of his days.

The Cairns-based Queensland Fire Department rescue technician has shared horrific road crash stories during Road Safety Week in the hope of saving the Far North community from the often avoidable heartache and trauma that go hand-in-hand with serious road crashes.

This year’s Queensland Road Safety week coincides with a deadly period on Far North roads that’s claimed the lives of 18 people so far this year. a 63.6 per cent increase on last year’s tally.

Mr Green said though the official road toll sits at 18 lives lost, the real number is higher due to fatalities only being counted if they happen at the scene of the crash and deaths on private property being omitted from the count.

“That statistic is the worst we’ve seen since 2010, although we are firefighters, road crashes would be our bread and butter,” he said.

Queensland Fire Department's Tarrant Green with a wrecked vehicle used to train in firefighters in the use of pneumatic cutting tools, including the jaws of life. Picture: Brendan Radke

“We go to more road crashes than any other type of job, of varying degrees from fender benders to serious fatal crashes.

“We see it all, it is tough and unfortunately a few firefighters have left the service because of it.”

Firefighters have attended more than 10,300 crashes in Queensland so far this year and within the Cairns area the tally as of August 15 sits at 344 road crash incidents.

Over representation of motorcycle riders in the Queensland death toll this year prompted the launch of Operation Whiskey Rider in June to combat rising motorcyclist fatalities.

Despite making up only five per cent of road users, motorcyclists are significantly over-represented in crash fatalities.

About 27 per cent of all Queensland road fatalities this year have been motorcyclists or pillion passengers.

A total of 51 riders’ lives have been lost.

Cairns police have begun National Road Safety Week with a safety blitz. Acting Inspector James Coate says that almost all road crashes are avoidable. Picture: Brendan Radke

Acting inspector James Coate said 184 lives had been lost on Queensland roads this year.

“The last (rider fatality) was last week in White Rock near Ipswich, motorcyclists are very vulnerable on the road and we have to take extra care to look out for them as much as they have to look after their own safety as well,” he said.

“Yes, there was major mayhem on the Captain Cook Highway (on Sunday) involving a diesel spill and on Friday we had an incident which was someone on a motorcycle speeding 127km/h in a 60 zone near the Caravonica school, that is a tragedy waiting to happen.”

The crash site at the corner of Enmore Street and Reservoir Road where a 20-year-old woman was killed when the car she was travelling in hit a power pole. Picture: Brian Cassey

Mr Green said memories of all fatal crashes live rent free in his head, but one job at the corner of Enmore Street and Reservoir Road in 2021 that claimed the life of talented young footballer Ailsa-Rani Satini stands out.

“It was caused by speed combined with drink driving, and unfortunately the person that passed away wasn’t wearing a seatbelt,” he said.

“It had all the makings of the fatal five when we arrived on scene, and carnage is probably the best word to describe it.

“There were car parts everywhere and it took us a moment to work out what had actually happened.”

Players from the Innisfail Leprechauns and Edmonton Storm women's teams huddle following the death of Innisfail footballer Ailsa-Rani Satini. Picture: Facebook/ Innisfail Leprechauns RLFC

Firefighters had to cut two cars apart so that paramedics could stabilise patients who were still in one of the vehicles, and get them treated.

“It’s probably one of the worst crashes I have been to and unfortunately a young teenage girl died in my arms as I pulled her from a car,” he said.

The young woman’s death shattered dozens of lives, including the drunk driver Morris Ling, who was sentenced to a 10-year jail term in Cairns Supreme Court in 2022.

“The message behind this week’s campaign is to think about your loved ones, your immediate family, your community members,” Mr Green said.

“The more serious the crash, the deeper the effect goes, from bystanders and witnesses to first responders.

“In a serious car crash, you’ll get three fire trucks there, four to six ambulances there, x amount of police there.

Cairns police have begun National Road Safety Week with a safety blitz. A Queensland Police traffic officer waves drivers to pull over to perform a random breath test on the Captain Cook Highway at Aeroglen. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Then you go to hospital, the emergency department has to look after you straight away and then you go to surgery, theatre, the police that they need to go and tell your family members that you’ve been in a serious crash or you might not ever be coming home.

“And it’s just that flow-on effect, that ripple effect from just one bad choice you’ve made behind the wheel.”

Road Safety Week runs from August 26-30, and this year focuses on the theme of One Team to highlight how all road users can work together with police and the wider community to strengthen everyone’s safety on the roads.

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Originally published as Road Safety Week: Road deaths hit 15 year peak in horror crash period