James Street crash: Truck ploughs into school ground on major city road

Just days before National Road Safety Week begins, police are trying to work out why a produce truck careened into the grounds of a Toowoomba school on Friday morning.

Emergency services at the scene after a truck crashed through St Joseph's School in Toowoomba on Friday, May 3.

National Road Safety Week on the Darling Downs began on a low note for the region after a truck crashed into the grounds of a Toowoomba school.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said the investigation was still ongoing into the cause of the crash, which saw a produce truck leave the road on James St, into an embankment in the grounds of St Joseph’s College.

The incident occurred just after 6am on Friday, with the driver sustaining only minor injuries.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said three fire and rescue crews assisted in the removal of the truck from the grounds about 10am.

Only a matter of hours later, a National Road Safety Week conference was held at PCYC Toowoomba.

Darling Downs District Chief Inspector Danny Shaw at the Road Safety Week conference at PCYC Toowoomba on Friday, May 3, 2024.

Representatives from Queensland Police Service, Queensland Ambulance Service and Queensland Fire and Rescue gathered to remind road users to be vigilant this long weekend.

Darling Downs District Chief Inspector Danny Shaw said nine lives had been tragically lost on the region’s roads this year.

“Unfortunately each year we lose about 1200 people on the roads there’s also about 40,000 who are injured,” Chief Inspector Shaw said.

“In the Darling Downs district we’ve lost nine lives, that’s one more than last year and the impact on families is absolutely tragic.

“I just can’t stress how important it is you focus on what you’re doing when you’re driving and you’re careful about other people, considerate of other people and we make sure everyone has a safe long weekend.”

Queensland Fire and Rescue area commander for Darling Downs and South West Kent Barron reminded road users that every decision behind the wheel counted.

“Traffic injuries are the biggest killer of children under the age of 15, it’s also the second biggest killer of Australians aged 15-24,” Mr Barron said.