A spate of road deaths in Logan and nearby suburbs in the new year has brought devastation to families and left authorities scratching their heads.
On new year’s day, a 15-year-old Slacks Creek boy died after the motorcycle he was riding crashed into a truck at Kingston.
The crash, at about 10.30am, is still under investigation by police.
On January 14, a man, aged 61, was killed in a two-vehicle crash at Tamborine Mountain. He was also on a motorcycle.
The next evening, on 15 January, a 41-year-old Thornlands man died at the scene of an accident at Tamborine.
As life becomes busier and schedules more demanding, RACQ manager of road safety Joel Tucker says it’s time to slow things down a little.
“Queenslanders need to get back to basics and focus on following the road rules and avoiding the ‘Fatal Five,” he said.
Fatal road behaviours include “speeding, drink and drug driving, driving tired or distracted and not wearing a seatbelt”.
Maintaining a safe stopping distance can increase road safety and is most easily achieved by following speed limits, and leaving a safe gap between vehicles.
The maths add up, according to government statistics:
The faster you drive, the longer it takes to stop.
The faster you drive, the harder the impact in event of a collision.
Reaction times can be influenced by driver fatigue, which can delay braking times.
Driving to road, traffic and weather conditions — especially when witnessing dangerous driving or other forms of unsafe road use — can increase overall road safety.
Mr Tucker said as roadworks continue to expand across Logan — such as those along the Waterford-Tamborine Road — it is important to observe roadwork speed limits.
Uneven road surfaces, loose gravel, narrowed lanes, inaccessible shoulders and variable lane configurations affect road and traffic conditions — potentially contributing to new or changed road hazards, he said.
“If parents and role models avoid the fatal five behaviours and set a good example… we can create a more positive and responsible road safety culture in Queensland,” he said.
“Skills need to be taught and demonstrated throughout their entire life.”
