Pedestrian fatalities soar by 120 per cent

THE number of pedestrians and cyclists killed on Queensland roads in the past year has more than doubled, but motoring officials cannot say why.

Transport and Main Roads Department data reveals 18 pedestrians have lost their lives this year, compared to eight at the same time in 2019.

Four cyclists have been killed, compared to two in 2019.

RACQ spokesperson Lauren Ritchie said it was “incredibly concerning” the number had more than doubled in such a short period.

“What makes it quite alarming (is that) there’s nothing we can definitively correlate it to,” she said.

“While 18 might not seem like a huge number to some, we must remember we’re talking about lives here.

“That’s 18 families that have had to deal with the tragic and unexpected loss of a loved one.”

The number of cyclists killed in crashes on Queensland roads has also doubled this year, with four killed so far compared to two in 2019.

“It’s the highest toll we’ve seen at this time of year since 2016,” Ms Ritchie said.

“We all need to do better when it comes to protecting the lives of cyclists.”

The statistics come days after the Bulletin revealed a majority of motorists in the city’s fastest-growing suburbs were driving well over the speed limit.

Gold Coast City Council data showed at least 96 per cent of drivers were recording 70km/h in a 60km/h zone on hinterland roads now infamous for hooning.

Among the city’s worst for speedsters were Upper Coomera, Pimpama and Coomera.

City officials have already spoken out about ongoing problems turning city roads into crash hot spots.

Division 7 councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden named “speeding and hooning” as one of the main issues raised by constituents after a Molendinar intersection was revealed to be the second most dangerous in the city in the Bulletin’s Crash Test Dummies investigation.

Police launched a high-visibility RBT operation on Wednesday morning.