The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is urging every road user to re-evaluate their driving behaviours as the state faces a devastating start to 2025, with more than 15 lives tragically lost on Queensland roads in the first few weeks.
The figure more than doubles the fatalities recorded during the same period last year and is the highest lives lost toll for this period since 2020.
It comes amid the statewide road safety blitz, Operation Mistletoe, which has seen officers right across Queensland deployed on high visibility road safety operations with the aim of reducing the lives lost on Queensland roads.
Despite consistent and targeted police action, the start of 2025 has seen 17 people lose their lives on Queensland roads, from crashes as at 20 January 2025.
QPS Road Policing and Regional Support Command, Acting Chief Superintendent Garrath Channells said these crashes are deeply concerning.
"These tragic numbers are not just statistics, they represent fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, and friends whose lives have been cut short," Acting Chief Superintendent Channells said.
"Police are out there doing everything they can on the roads to try and bring this figure down and ensure people can return home to loved ones or their families.
"To then observe the deadliest start to the year since 2020 is truly harrowing.
"We're pleading with every road user to make the right choices, because every decision you make on the road has the power to save a life or take one."
The QPS continues to analyse road data from 2024, to learn if there are ways to better inform road safety operations for the 2025 year.
Towards the end of 2024, the QPS observed a growing trend in deaths involving vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, motorcycle riders, and users of personal mobility devices such as e-scooters and e-bikes.
"Pedestrian deaths more than doubled with eight lives lost during 2024 compared to three in 2023, while eight people lost their lives on personal mobility devices, such as e-scooters and e-skateboards during 2024, compared to two lives lost in 2023," Acting Chief Superintendent Channells said.
"We also saw an increase in deaths of motorcycle riders with 79 lives lost in 2024 compared to 77 motorcycle rider deaths in 2023.
"In the year ahead, QPS is leveraging this intelligence and technology to deploy targeted and tactical road safety operations to make Queensland's roads safer, but enforcement alone won't solve this.
"Road safety requires a shared commitment from every road user.
"Whether you're a driver, rider, passenger, or pedestrian, your actions matter. Together we can prevent further tragedies." To learn more about road safety and QPS's initiatives to help make Queensland's roads safer, visit: www.police.qld.gov.au/initiatives/road-safety
The Queensland Police Service is committed to reducing the number of lives lost on our roads.
Data shows that serious crashes can be significantly reduced when drivers recognise and avoid the 'Fatal Five' behaviours: speeding, drink and drug driving, not wearing seatbelts, fatigue and distraction.
Road safety is everyone's responsibility. Learn more about staying safe on Queensland roads: https://www.police.qld.gov.au/initiatives/fatal-five-staying-safe-roads
