RACQ calls for law reforms to reduce the number of fatalities on Queensland roads and reverse dangerous driving trends
Last year Queensland reached a devastating milestone – the State’s road toll hit a 15-year high.
There were 303 people tragically killed on our roads, the vast majority of the deaths were avoidable.
The last time Queensland’s road toll exceeded 300 was in 2009 and this year is tracking for an even worse total.
It’s been a horrific start to 2025, with almost one fatality occurring every day.
It’s clear that Queenslanders’ attitudes toward road safety are worsening, with extreme driving and deliberate rule breaking on the rise.
The statistics show before COVID-19, road fatalities were trending down and if we remained on that same path, fatalities would be closer to 200 per year.
However, at the current rate, we’re headed towards another unacceptably high road toll in 2025, potentially about 350 deaths.
This is why RACQ is calling for immediate action to urgently reverse the unacceptable number of deaths on our roads.
The Club is advocating for more police on the roads, significantly increasing random roadside tests, and expanding hooning laws as part of a suite of recommended reforms put forward to the State Government to address the worsening road toll.
RACQ’s General Manager of Advocacy Joshua Cooney said the reforms had been developed to deliver an immediate cultural change towards road safety.
“Speeding, drink driving and drug driving are the main killers on our roads, and we need strong and urgent law reform to quickly curb these alarming trends and dramatically improve our road safety culture,” Mr Cooney said.
“Increasing fines clearly has not worked, so we must rethink enforcement and deterrents for drivers breaking the rules.
“Motorists need to know that if they do the wrong thing, they will be caught and will face significant consequences.
"There must be more focus on law and order on our roads.”
The Club is calling on the State Government to increase police presence to enforce road rules and catch offenders.
RACQ also wants to see the introduction of compulsory roadside drug testing after crashes.
Additionally, the Club wants to see more point-to-point speed cameras in high crash zones.
RACQ is also advocating for the expansion of hooning laws to capture a greater range of blatant speeding and drink- and drug-driving offences, which would result in offenders’ cars being impounded or immobilised for 30 or 90 days.
The Club will be advocating for these reforms with a commitment to working with the State Government to reverse Queensland’s alarming road toll and make our roads safer.
