19 May 2026
As the local road toll climbs 66 per cent on the same time last year, a Gold Coast personal injury lawyer is warning split-second lapses in attention behind the wheel are increasingly contributing to devastating crashes involving vulnerable road users.
The warning comes during National Road Safety Week (17–24 May), as the road toll across the South Eastern region – including the Gold Coast, Logan and Scenic Rim – sits 53 per cent above the five-year average, with 20 lives already lost this year.[1]
Gold Coast personal injury lawyer Nickelle Morris from Travis Schultz & Partners said many of the incidents her team was seeing stemmed from momentary lapses in concentration with catastrophic consequences.
“We’re seeing more crashes caused by distraction and inattention – drivers simply not properly seeing and considering the road users around them,” Ms Morris said.
“These are preventable incidents, but when people become complacent or take driving for granted, the consequences can be life changing.
“In heavy traffic conditions, drivers can become focused on gaps in traffic, turning movements, passengers or simply getting to where they need to go, but a split-second lapse in concentration can permanently alter someone else’s life.”
Ms Morris said older road users and pedestrians were increasingly emerging as some of the most vulnerable people on Gold Coast roads.
Across Queensland, fatalities involving senior road users aged 75 and over are now tracking 50 per cent above the five-year average, while pedestrian deaths have reached a five-year high and sit 27 per cent above the long-term average.[2]
“Older road users, pedestrians and cyclists are particularly vulnerable because even lower-speed incidents can result in serious injuries,” Ms Morris said.
“We regularly see tragic outcomes involving people who are simply out walking, riding or trying to get from one place to another safely.
“In one recent matter we are acting in, a retired gentlemen suffered serious injuries after being struck at speed riding his bicycle through a Gold Coast intersection. The man, who regularly rode to stay active, is now learning to live with permanent injuries.
“We are also seeing a concerning number of matters involving pedestrians being struck by vehicles or buses while using marked crossings.
“The common thread in many of these matters is driver inattention – vulnerable road users simply not being seen. What makes these incidents so confronting is that they are happening in everyday environments: intersections, crossings and urban roads.”
Ms Morris said the Gold Coast’s road environment amplified the risks.
“The Gold Coast has a fast-moving and increasingly congested road environment, with tourists, locals, cyclists, pedestrians and public transport all sharing the same spaces,” Ms Morris said.
“Add to that rising fuel costs and cost-of-living pressures putting more people on foot, and the reality is drivers need to be more vigilant than ever.”[3]
Ms Morris said National Road Safety Week was an important reminder that distraction behind the wheel should never be underestimated.
“On roads as busy and complex as the Gold Coast’s, there is often no margin for error when attention slips behind the wheel,” Ms Morris said. “This National Road Safety Week, drivers need to remember that vulnerable road users can be easily missed in traffic. They are depending on motorists to stay alert, slow down and pay attention.”
[1] Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, Latest weekly road fatality report, year to date to 17 May, Queensland Police’s South Eastern region – including the Gold Coast, Logan and Scenic Rim districts: https://www.publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/road-safety-statistics/resource/a5f24a26-f29b-4963-97ab-4d67a95836a5
[2] TMR weekly road fatality report, year to date to 17 May: Queensland recorded 38 pedestrian deaths in 2025 – the highest level in five years – with fatalities sitting 27 per cent above the long-term average.
[3] CWANZ Walking and Cycling Participation Survey, Queensland 2025 “Recent data shows 78 per cent of Queenslanders now walk in a typical week”: https://www.cwanz.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/251001-CWANZ-National-Walking-and-Cycling-Participation-Survey-Report-QLD.pdf
Media contact: Trudie Abel, Fresh PR & Marketing | 0408 119 443 | trudie@freshprm.com.au
About Travis Schultz & Partners
Travis Schultz & Partners was established in 2018 by founding Managing Partner Travis Schultz on the guiding values of fairness, respect and expertise. Today, the award-winning, nationally recognised compensation law firm is home to Queensland’s largest team of Personal Injury Accredited Specialists among its more than 70 staff. The firm services clients across the state from offices in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast and Cairns. www.schultzlaw.com.au
