Highway stretch a tale of carnage
ON average more than 100 people are injured in crashes on a dangerous stretch of the Bruce Highway every year, according to shocking new figures.
Department of Transport and Main Roads figures show 422 people have been injured in crashes on the Bruce Highway, 100km north and south of Townsville, in the past four years.
The stretch of road takes in the area between Scovazzis Rd, Toobanna and Ayr-dalbeg Rd, Mcdesme.
The figures show 102 were injured on this stretch last year, 120 in 2017, 94 in 2016 and 106 in 2015.
That’s an average of two casualties every week.
More than 20 people have died on that stretch in the past five years and more than 190 hospitalised.
West End resident Sandi Wickman, 52, shattered her ribs and broke both of her legs during a devastating crash on the Bruce Highway two years ago.
Ms Wickman and her 25-yearold son were driving to Townsville from Rockhampton early one morning when their Landcruiser hit a pothole.
“The car bounced, we flipped seven times,” she said.
Her son, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash, ended up with four fractures in his neck and four in his back.
The pair were flown to Rockhampton Hospital.
That same day, Ms Wickman said another woman died in a crash just up the road.
That afternoon, another crash occurred near the very same spot as Ms Wickman’s accident.
“They talk about rest and recover and all those things but I’m 52 years old, I’m well aware of that. We were awake, alert, singing. It was the road,” she said.
Originally from New South Wales, Ms Wickman said she had done the Newcastle to Townsville drive more than 100 times but never thought she would be involved in such a bad crash.
She used to drive competitively but now refuses to get behind a wheel.
“If we weren’t in a four-wheel drive we would have died, there’s no doubt about that,” she said.
“We ended up on our side. I had to be pulled out of the vehicle.
“I’ve still got more surgeries to go. I’m not working. I’m in lots of pain, it’s awful.”
Ms Wickman said she didn’t know how the State Government was able to get away with such a dangerous road.
“It’s the main road through Queensland. All the trucks travel on it, there’s no four lanes,” she said. “It’s a goat track, it’s ridiculous.”
A Transport and Main Roads spokesman said motorists were reminded to stick to speed limits, abide by road rules and drive to conditions. “All motorists need to be aware of the fatal five and take them seriously: drink and drug driving, fatigue, inattention, not using a seat belt and speeding,” the spokesman said. Bruce Highway between Scovazzis Rd, Toobanna, and Ayr-dalbeg Rd, Mcdesme, January 1, 2015 to June 25, 2019