With the South East road toll now up a third on this time last year, a personal injury lawyer says everyday split-second mistakes – the ordinary lapses drivers don’t think twice about – are contributing to the surge, warning the Christmas travel peak could become one of the region’s deadliest in years.
According to the latest TMR data, 46 people have died on South East roads this year – including the Gold Coast and Logan – representing a 28 per cent increase on the same period last year and a 23 per cent rise above the region’s five-year average.[1]
Gold Coast personal injury lawyer Nickelle Morris, Partner at Travis Schultz & Partners, says the numbers reflect what she’s seeing in practice: crashes caused by poor driving choices and everyday lapses in attention that “can happen to anyone” and have devastating consequences.
“Not all crashes that we see are caused by reckless speeding or high-risk behaviour,” Ms Morris said.
“What also contributes are the split-second mistakes – glancing down at a phone, turning to check on a passenger, misjudging a merge or following too closely in traffic. These are ordinary moments, but on fast-moving roads like the Gold Coast, they can be the difference between a near miss and a catastrophic injury.”
With the South East region already 10 fatalities higher than this time last year – and representing one in six of Queensland’s road deaths this year – Ms Morris said the rise should worry every road user.
“Our community is carrying a heavy and disproportionate share of trauma for the number of people who live here – much of it from crashes that could have been prevented.”
Ms Morris said the victims are often the most vulnerable road users – people walking to the shops or park, riding scooters or cycling on shared paths – and the injuries they sustain are the most severe her team sees.
“We see families shattered by crashes that were easily avoidable,” Ms Morris said.
“Behind every statistic is a shattered family. These crashes don’t just claim lives –including those of young children and loved ones – they also leave survivors with significant injuries that alter the course of their lives forever.
“Parents, grandparents and children are among those affected, and the ripple effects of these tragedies reach far beyond the roadside. For those who survive, the injuries are often severe, including brain trauma, spinal injuries and amputations, leaving families to navigate years of uncertainty and heartbreak.”
Ms Morris said the locations of these crashes tell a clear story.
High-speed merging and tailgating on the M1, confusion and abrupt lane changes at the Gold Coast’s large multi-lane roundabouts, and heavy pedestrian activity along busy coastal arterials are creating an environment where even the smallest lapse in attention can have catastrophic consequences.
“The Gold Coast has a fast-moving, complex road network,” Ms Morris said.
“Tourists, rideshares, locals and commercial traffic all converge in the same spaces, and when someone’s attention slips, even briefly, there’s often no margin for error. The speed of travel and volume of cars on our roads mean that a moment of inattention can escalate into something life-changing very quickly.”
Ms Morris said many of the legal issues arising from these crashes are tragically straightforward. Drivers owe a duty of care to everyone around them, and when they take their eyes off the road – whether to check a message, adjust a radio, or respond to a child – the law is clear that they are responsible for the consequences.
“Speeding and drink driving rightly get attention, but distraction and inattention are becoming some of the most widespread and underestimated risks we see in our client matters,” Ms Morris said.
“When a driver drifts out of their lane, misses a merge or fails to look up before entering a crossing, the law treats that as a breach of their duty of care. Distraction is not a defence, and in most cases, liability rests with the at-fault driver, not the pedestrian or cyclist who is injured.”
Ms Morris said the true impact of these split-second mistakes becomes even more stark as the Christmas holidays begin, with heavier traffic, more pedestrians on coastal paths, and families out late enjoying the warm weather.
“A moment of inattention can change the course of multiple lives – and at this time of year, the ripple effect is even greater. Choose patience, choose attention, choose care – because no family should spend Christmas grieving a loss that never had to happen.”
[1] Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, Latest weekly road fatality report, year to date to Sunday 14 December, https://www.publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/road-safety-statistics/resource/a5f24a26-f29b-4963-97ab-4d67a95836a5
