{"id":257480,"date":"2020-04-30T12:34:05","date_gmt":"2020-04-30T02:34:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=257480"},"modified":"2020-04-30T14:29:04","modified_gmt":"2020-04-30T04:29:04","slug":"traffic-down-road-toll-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2020\/04\/30\/traffic-down-road-toll-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Traffic Down, Road Toll Up"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Transport Minister Mark Bailey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

April 30, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

Authorities are pleading with Queenslanders to drive safely this long weekend as COVID-19 travel restrictions ease.<\/p>\n

More lives have been lost on the State\u2019s roads so far this year compared with 2019, despite traffic on major highways being down more than 30 per cent.<\/p>\n

The current road toll stands at 68, eight more than for the same period last year.<\/p>\n

Transport Minister Mark Bailey said Queenslanders had made huge progress in flattening the COVID-19 curve “but we can\u2019t afford to see that translate into deaths on our roads”.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom Saturday, Queenslanders will be able travel up to 50km from home for recreational purposes \u2013 let\u2019s make every kilometre on that trip and every other trip into the future a safe one,” he said.<\/p>\n

Police Minister Mark Ryan said police emphasis would be on the fatal five: speed, fatigue, seat belt use, driver distraction, and drink\/drug driving.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cEighty per cent of fatalities on our roads are because of these risky choices, and all are preventable,\u201d Mr Ryan said.<\/p>\n

Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Mike Keating said there had been a sharp rise in the rate of speeding on Queensland roads.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is very concerning how often our officers and speed camera systems are detecting exceptionally high speeds,” Assistant Commissioner Keating said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe risks of speeding have not changed and the faster you go, the more consequence there is if you hit something or someone else.”<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Bodycam video released by Queensland Police of recent traffic stops:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  • 173km\/h and 152km\/h in 100km\/h zone on Old Goombungee Road, Birnam (April 26)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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    • 168km\/h in 100km\/h zone on the Bruce Highway between Barretts Road and Howard Heights Road, Cherwell (April 27)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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      • 161km\/h 100km\/h zone on the Pacific Highway, Pimpama (April 27)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
          \n
        • 153km\/h in 70km\/h zone Albert Street and Logan River Road, Bethania (April 27)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n