Motorcycle Awareness Month is prompting renewed calls from a local lawyer and injured motorcyclist for drivers to pay greater attention to riders on the road, as new figures reveal four motorcyclists have died on the Sunshine Coast this year, 33 per cent above the five-year average.[1]
Across the broader North Coast Police Region, which includes Moreton Bay, the Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Wide Bay regions, motorcycle fatalities are also tracking above the five-year average, with 15 deaths recorded to 12 October, including a 41-year-old motorcyclist killed in a collision with a truck at Noosaville earlier this month.[2]
The warning comes as motorcycle fatalities now account for more than one in four road deaths statewide, having risen 11.7 per cent compared with the same period last year, despite an overall decline in the state’s road toll.[3]
Sunshine Coast personal injury lawyer Greg Spinda, from Travis Schultz & Partners, said the figures were a sobering reminder of the vulnerability of motorcyclists.
His client, 66-year-old Witta resident Francis Pichelin, suffered multiple fractures and nerve damage when a vehicle allegedly pulled out in front of his motorcycle near Maleny last year, leaving him hospitalised for nearly three months and requiring ongoing treatment.
“I had a total shoulder reconstruction recently, and now I’m waiting to find out whether I’ll need surgery on my other shoulder as well,” Mr Pichelin said.
“At the beginning, I was very optimistic about my recovery, but it’s been 16 months of injuries, medical treatment and ongoing appointments, with no clear end in sight.
“I’d worked really hard and was getting to the stage where I was hoping to enjoy life. Instead, I’m facing years of recovery, financial strain and uncertainty about what comes next.”
For Mr Pichelin, the four motorcyclists killed on the Sunshine Coast this year, along with a fatal crash at Noosaville, are reminders of the dangers riders continue to face.
“I’m shocked that so many motorcyclists have lost their lives,” Mr Pichelin said.
“I’ve had four close calls myself since my crash, including having to brake suddenly to avoid a truck. I’ve got all my lights on, but drivers still don’t seem to see me.”
An experienced motorcyclist who has been riding since he was 16, Mr Pichelin said drivers and riders have a shared responsibility on the road.
“Motorcyclists have a responsibility to ride safely too, but there are far too many drivers who just aren’t paying attention. People are still using their phones behind the wheel, and it’s putting lives at risk. Please stop, look up and see us.”
Mr Spinda said Motorcycle Awareness Month was an important reminder of the disproportionate risks faced by motorcyclists.
“Motorcycles represent only around five per cent of registered vehicles in Queensland, yet riders account for almost 28 per cent of road fatalities. That disparity is a stark reminder of just how vulnerable motorcyclists are on our roads,” Mr Spinda said.[4]
“Riders are smaller, less visible and far more exposed than other road users, which means drivers need to be actively looking for them every time they approach an intersection, merge, turn or change lanes. Even a split-second lapse in concentration can permanently change someone’s life and mean years of consequences.
“For the four motorcyclists who have lost their lives on the Sunshine Coast this year – a 66-year-old Yandina man killed at North Arm, a 25-year-old Little Mountain man killed at Baringa, a 30-year-old rider killed at Warana and a 64-year-old rider killed near Maleny – their families are left facing a loss that can never be undone.
“Every one of these tragedies is a reminder of just how much is at stake when we share the road.”
[1] TMR Sunshine Coast LGA motorcycle/moped/pillion fatalities, year to 12 October 2026: four deaths versus a five-year average of three. Individual crash details from police/media reports.
[2] TMR North Coast Police Region motorcycle/moped fatalities, year to 12 October 2026: 15 deaths, 9.3% above the five-year average. Noosaville collision details from police/media reporting.
[3] Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, latest weekly road fatality report, year to 25 October, shows 67 motorcycle/moped/pillion fatalities of 242 Queensland road deaths (27.7 per cent), up seven deaths (11.7 per cent) from 60 at the same point in 2025, and 8.1 per cent above the previous five-year average of 62, while the overall state road toll has fallen 3.2 per cent.
[4] StreetSmarts Queensland, “Motorcycles: Get the Facts”, Queensland Government: https://streetsmarts.initiatives.qld.gov.au/motorcycles/
