Young drivers, motorcyclists in focus during Qld Road Safety Week

Inexperienced drivers and motorcyclists are over-represented in the road death toll and police are working hard to reverse that trend.

Queensland Police Service Southern Region Assist Commissioner Kath Innes at the launch of the Queensland Road Safety Week, at the Toowoomba LifeFlight base, on August 26, 2024.

Young people and motorcyclists will be the focus of the state wide efforts to drive down the Darling Downs road death toll.

Speaking at the launch of Queensland Road Safety Week, Queensland Police Service Assistant Commissioner Kath Innes said the two demographics were over represented in the crash statistics.

“Young people generally are inexperienced and they may engage in risky behaviour, while motorcyclists sometimes are not seen very well on the road, sometimes they speed and when they are involved in a crash it can be fatal,” she said.

Through the week police take a zero-tolerance approach to road users who bend or break the road rules.

They will pay close attention to the Fatal Five – speeding, distracted driving, fatigue, failing to wear seatbelts, and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

This will be followed up with an education program aimed at improving driver behaviour.

Tonight Toowoomba Police will host their first Learner Driver Night at Wellcamp Airport.

“It is an opportunity for young and inexperienced drivers, not just those on L Plates, to interact with police and emergency services personnel in a safe and controlled environment and learn what to do when they see those flashing red and blue lights in their rear vision mirror,” Ms Innes said.

Talking about road safety are (from left) LifeFlight doctor Stephen Cremonini, QFD Assistant Commissioner Dave Hermann, QPS Assistant Commissioner Kath Innes, Toowoomba Mayor Geoff McDonald, QAS Assistant Commissioner Peta Thompson and Toowoomba North MP Trevor Watts at the launch of the Queensland Road Safety Week, at the Toowoomba LifeFlight base, on August 26, 2024.

The drivers will be doing laps of the airport grounds where they will be pulled over by police, overtaken by fire trucks and ambulances under lights and sirens, in a bid to improve their driving confidence and get a refresher on the road rules.

Later on the week, on Saturday, our police will hold a motorbike skills session at the Murphys Creek Community Centre.

“Keep it Upright, is designed to equip riders with the integral skills and know how to stay safe on their roads,” Ms Innes said.

Motorcycle and moped fatalities accounted for about 50 of the deaths on our roads this year, despite making up about 5 per cent of registered vehicles.

The programs come as 2024 is shaping up to be one of the worst years on record for road deaths.

“As of August 23, 185 lives have been lost tragically on our Queensland roads, an increase of 12 from the same time last year” Ms Innes said.

Of those lives, 20 were lost in the Darling Downs.

Police, firefighters and paramedics have been called to more than 5300 crashes that have left more than 4700 people with serious or life-changing injuries.

Ms Innes urged Queenslander to work together and act as “one team”.

“It is all about taking care, being careful on the road and looking after each other,” she said.