Mackay police to crack down on drink-drivers after horror road toll

Brisbane police will be sent to a Central Queensland region grappling with a horror spate of fatal crashes to crackdown on deadly driver behaviour.

Police have determined a concerning link between the majority of the region’s horror road fatalities as they prepare to crack down on bad driver behaviour.

Acting Inspector Anthony Cowan said nine people had died in eight crashes, the “majority” of which had a drink-driver involved.

With the recent spike in the district and more heavy rain expected this weekend, Mackay police have vowed to increase their road presence.

“We have started a number of different traffic operations across the district in different divisions,” Inspector Cowan said.

Casey Munchow, pictured with her husband Josh, died when her car was swept away in floodwaters near Mackay. Picture: Contributed

“There will be extra patrols on the highway, more visibility of police in an attempt to stop this traffic carnage on the roads.”

A Brisbane traffic task force has also been called in to help officers.

Inspector Cowan said it was still up to the community to make responsible decisions on the roads.

Acting inspector Anthony Cowan at Mackay District Office 18 May 2022. Picture: Max O'Driscoll.

“While we are going to increase our patrols, we can’t be on every street corner, we can’t be on every road tapping people on the shoulder before they drive,” he said.

“People have to take responsibility, if you’re going to drink-drive and you’re involved in a serious car crash, that’s a consequence of your actions, it’s not an accident.

“We need to drill through to people that there’s consequences to your actions, don’t speed, don’t drink drive.”

Jacob Betts was killed with the motorcycle he was riding collided with a vehicle on May 8.

While drink-driving fatalities have increased, cases of roadside breath tests where the driver has been over the limit had not.

Inspector Cowan said it was an important reminder for the public of the narrow difference between a crash with injuries, and a crash causing a death.

Further rain and the region’s already saturated catchments could again cause flooding on roads.

A Calen woman was found inside the vehicle after it was swept off a flooded roadway about 5am on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. Picture: Max O'Driscoll

Inspector Cowan said police had seen cases of people in dark settings not seeing the water over the road and then also people seeing the flooding and still choosing to cross the water.

“The Mackay district is a very large area and we can’t put road closure signs on every western road that goes over,” he said.

“We rely on the public to be responsible and unfortunately, especially some of the locals they think it’s okay because they’ve been doing it for years.

Sarina man Jordan Blanch was tragically killed in a hit and run on Sarina Beach Rd on Mother's Day.

“But when the road is under you don’t know if the bridge is still there, you don’t know what’s under the water.

“It’s just not safe to drive through flood water.”

Inspector Cowan stressed to the community to focus on driving to the speed limit, monitoring fatigue levels, avoiding distractions and driving drunk.

“They are the main things that contribute to fatalities on our roads,” he said.

Originally published as Mackay police to crack down on drink-drivers after horror road toll