RV drivers were among the 41 people killed on Queensland’s Bruce Highway last year and industry associations are urging Federal and State Governments to properly fix certain parts of the highway to bring it up to a minimum three-star road safety rating.
The call from the Caravan Trade and Industry Association of Queensland (CTIAQ) and Caravan Parks Association of Queensland (CPAQ) comes after the Federal Government announced its additional $7.2 billion upgrade to bring the deadliest highway in Australia up to standard.
Last year Queensland experienced its highest road fatalities since 2009, with 302 people losing their lives. The north coast region including regional centres of Bundaberg, Sunshine Coast, Gympie and Maryborough had the second highest number of fatalities.
Key sections of the Bruce Highway that require immediate attention, particularly for caravan drivers and owners, include Rockhampton to Mackay, Gladstone to Rockhampton, Sarina to Mackay and Mackay to Proserpine.
CEO of CTIAQ, Jason Plant, said the greater the distances between destinations, the more dangerous the major highway becomes.
“The section of the Bruce Highway from Rockhampton to Mackay is a hotspot due to high speeds and a travel distance of five and a half hours with only limited rest stops,” he said. “Travellers need to detour off the highway for both stops, putting drivers at risk of fatigue.
“From Gladstone to Rockhampton the highway is a high traffic area for cars, recreational vehicles and trucks with challenging overtaking conditions. Sarina to Mackay is also a dangerous section of the Bruce which gets busy around peak shift change times and limited overtaking opportunities.”
CPAQ CEO Michelle Weston said the additional funding recently announced by the Federal Government last week is fantastic news for those who live or travel in Queensland.
“To support our tourism strategy and encourage more visitors to our beautiful state, we need to remove the current barriers,” she said. “Upgrading our main arterial road in Queensland will ensure our tourism targets are met and even exceeded,” Weston said.
With the governments contributing $9.2 billion to the Bruce Highway, both industry bodies want to ensure funds are allocated effectively to improve driving conditions.
“We want to work with the governments to implement additional overtaking lanes to ease traffic flow and enhance safety during passing,” Plant said. “We need more rest areas with appropriate facilities to support driver fatigue management and we need larger more robust road shoulders to accommodate caravans and other vehicles in emergencies and increased separation lanes will reduce collision risks.”
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