Tragedies a painful reminder

YESTERDAY’S tragic death of a cyclist on one of Townsville’s busiest roads has given the community another fresh reminder of just how dangerous our roads can be.

More importantly, it serves as a reminder of the need for vigilance, whether it be on a busy highway or one of our suburban streets.

Drivers and pedestrians both have their roles to play in ensuring our roads are the safest they can be.

Travelling on the road serves one purpose and one purpose only, to get to a destination, and it is up to everyone on the road to ensure we all get from A to B safely.

It goes without saying that the last thing anyone wants to see is another tragedy on our roads. In one instant lives are lost, families lose loved ones and others – including first responders and witnesses – are left with images that will haunt them for a lifetime.

The Townsville region has recorded six road deaths since the start of this year, compared to four deaths in the same period last year.

On Tuesday another life was claimed when a 20-year-old woman was killed when her car and a truck collided on the Bruce Highway at Black River.

The latest fatality at Black River, where four road deaths have been recorded in the past 12 months, has reignited calls for that notorious stretch of highway to be upgraded.

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said he would push to ensure a $107 million road upgrade to the killer stretch went ahead as planned.

The father of a young man who was killed on the same stretch in December has been behind the petition for road upgrades and remains closely involved in the process.

His efforts echo the sentiment of the entire community; we want our roads to connect us, not rip our community apart.

And driving safely and looking out for each other will go a long way towards fulfilling those hopes.