A family living on a treacherous corner in Yarrabilba is living in fear after multiple cars have smashed through their front fence—one missing their bedroom by just a metre.
Kirstin, who lives at the property and requested her full name not be used, said her family is struggling to cope.
“This car came so close we could have died,” she said.
“I keep thinking if we died, our kids would have found us.”
The home has been hit twice by out-of-control drivers, with a third crash sending safety bollards flying into the side of the house.
The family says they no longer feel safe in their own home.
The first crash happened in April 2023, when a female driver failed to navigate the roundabout and ploughed into the side of the house, damaging the bathroom.
“The whole house shook,” Kirstin said.
“I ran out yelling to my husband and kids that someone had hit the house. We called 000 and helped the driver while waiting for emergency services.”
After the crash, the family met with councillors and engineers to push for better safety measures because they feared another incident would take place.
Those fears became reality when a second crash sent a vehicle smashing through the fence, taking out four sections, two bollards, and household bins before skidding perilously close to the main bedroom.
The impact was so severe the bollards were launched into the house.
Just days later, a third car obliterated the temporary fluorescent bollards set up by council.
The family is now left feeling trapped.
Their children refuse to play in the yard, they avoid parts of the home, and their home daycare business is suffering as parents withdraw their children over safety concerns.
“Our income is taking a hit because families are waiting for a safer option before returning,” Kirstin said.
“We have to limit time spent in the front area for drop-offs and pickups.”
Despite their repeated calls for action, Kirstin says authorities have dismissed their concerns.
“They say the drivers are bad, but they can’t stop bad drivers,” she said
“They want us to just accept these bollards, which didn’t work in the first place.”
She is calling for stronger safety measures, such as speed cameras or driver safety cameras.
“We will die if a car comes through and drives into our bedroom,” she said.
“Our lives are on the line. If the driver causes the accident, they should come second to people sleeping in their beds.”
While the family would like to move, relocating their home-based business is not an easy option.
Local councillor Nathan St Ledger said they were aware of the incidents and that council staff and himself have been working closely with the residents of the property.
“Their safety and wellbeing are our number one priority,” he said.
“The two serious incidents have reportedly involved unsafe driver behaviour and Queensland Police Service have confirmed that someone has been charged in relation to the most recent incident.
More than 10,000 people use this roundabout every day, and unfortunately, it is the irresponsible behaviour of a small number of individuals that has led to the concerns for our residents.”
“In late 2024, we installed bollards with reflective tape along the eastern side of the roundabout.
A guardrail is one of the options being considered for further enhancements but is not necessarily fully suited to the current road layout and not designed for head-on impact.
While there are currently no plans for new traffic calming measures on Yarrabilba Drive, we will continue to review and consider options.
I’ll continue to work with the council team to find a solution that will support the safety of the residents.”
Kirstin also had a message for reckless drivers tearing through Yarrabilba.
“You are going to ruin people’s lives, she said.
“Accidents happen, but you’re not invincible.”
