Logan has recorded the worst rise in road fatalities in the state over the past 12 months, and it’s not a badge anybody wants to wear.
Logan district chief superintendent Brian Swan didn’t mix words when he headed up more than 50 police at a safety patrol last week.
Within minutes of opening the random breath testing and vehicle checks, drivers were pulled over and shown the errors of their ways.
Unsecured loads, speeding, fatigue, drink and drug driving, and seatbelts were high on the agenda – all things which had led to 19 deaths on Logan district roads in the past 12 months.
It was a dramatic rise against just three fatalities the previous year.
“We are asking everyone to own their behaviour on the roads,” chief supt Swan said.
“Out of the 19 fatalaties, most of them had speed as a contributor. One of the ‘fatal 5’ elements were in all of them.”
Operation “Ownit” was launched as part of National Road Safety Week, but a blitz would be ongoing – aiming to educate drivers on road dangers.
Chief supt Swan said Logan was an interesting region, with an urban population.
A high number of motorcycle deaths could be attributed to the popular tourist trails around the Scenic Rim, and “motorcycle riders of various levels of experience”.
“It’s really quite simple. We all need to treat others with dignity and respect on the roads,” chief supt Swan said.
He said the district was taking a proactive approach to encouraging road users to own their driving behaviour no matter the purpose of their trip in Logan.
“Logan District is really diverse, taking in the area from Springwood, right down to the Queensland and New South Wales border in Rathdowney,” chief supt Swan said.
“We know as we come into this holiday period that we will have more people out on the road enjoying popular tourist and sight-seeing destinations and passing through other areas.
“Our officers will be out, conducting high-visibility roadside operations and they will be engaging in conversation at every opportunity, about road safety in Logan.
“We’ve already seen the impact of far too many serious traffic crashes here in Logan, and we want to make sure we and the community are working together to keep our roads safe.”
Senior Constable Meagan Holley of Loganholme Police Station said this operation is seeing frontline officers throughout the district, expanding their usual interactions with community members.
“We will be initiating further conversations with our community members and really working on ways to bring road safety in our unique district to the forefront of everyone’s’ minds,” Senior Constable Holley said.
“It can be something drivers become complacent about, but we are reminding everyone that you can’t.
“For us all to see a positive impact, we all need to work together.”
