100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

Police urge caution after serious rollover on 'sand highway'

Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team.

Shark tracked along shoreline by lifesavers

It could be enough to prompt the theme music from Jaws: a shadow and then fins just metres from the shoreline at a Sunshine More

Celebrity chef calls on local talent for culinary celebration

A renowned chef is inspiring local food creators to display their passion and talents at a 10-day annual food and drink festival. Peter Kuruvita is More

Coast woman charged with torture of an infant

A Sunshine Coast woman has been charged with torture following extensive investigations into allegations of an infant being poisoned. Warning: some readers may find the More

Photo of the day: kite surfers storm ahead

Kite surfers make the most of the wind in the Pumicestone Passage off Golden Beach, ahead of a storm. Thanks to Cilla Skinner for More

Short-stay review: applications refused, complaints down

The effectiveness of a law set up to mitigate short-stay accommodation is showing positive trends and room for improvement, recent data reveals. Noosa Council introduced More

Ashley Robinson: we’re living in a 1960s sit-com

I have been watching our prime minister stumble through the past few months, trying to decide when to call an election. Well, more to the More

Four teens have been hospitalised after an early-morning rollover on a popular Sunshine Coast beach.

The serious accident has prompted police to issue a reminder to motorists visiting the area about the hazards of driving on sand.

Police and emergency services were called about 2.30am today to Teewah Beach, near the camping area at Double Island Point (camping zone 3), following the single-vehicle rollover.

The dual-cab utility was carrying seven males, aged 17 and 18 from Brisbane, when it rolled.

Two passengers were airlifted with serious head, chest and back injuries, and two others were transported to hospital with serious injuries. The three other occupants walked away with minor injuries.

The 17-year-old driver, from Bridgeman Downs in Brisbane, was issued with a notice to appear for alleged low-range drink-driving. Investigations by the Forensic Crash Unit are continuing.

Inspector Brad Inskip, from the Gympie Patrol Group, said motorists could expect to see police conducting enforcement operations throughout January.

“So far over the Christmas New Year holiday period, police from Gympie and the Sunshine Coast conducting traffic enforcement operations in the Noosa North Shore and surrounds have conducted more than 5500 random breath tests and 72 random drug tests,” he said.

“Five drink-drivers and one drug-driver were detected, 137 speeding tickets issued, along with 68 defective vehicle infringements and 54 people failing to wear seatbelts.

“Today’s crash is a reminder that driving on beaches can be hazardous, can be dangerous.

“The surfaces are different from what most of us are used to and drivers need to take extra care.

“We also remind motorists that the same road rules apply when driving on a beach or in national parks as they do when driving on any street in Queensland.”

A photo supplied by police of a vehicle in the water at Teewah Beach.

Police are reminding motorists that vehicles driven off-road on beaches and parks must also be roadworthy.

“Vehicle standards are safety standards,” Inspector Inskip said.

“Defective or unroadworthy vehicles will be intercepted and drivers issued with infringement notices and we make no apology for that. Safety should be every motorist’s priority every time they get behind the wheel, regardless of their location.”

Inspector Inskip said the number of people flaunting the road rules was disappointing.

He highlighted the number of motorists detected speeding and those failing to wear seatbelts: two dangerous driving behaviours.

“You might be on holidays, you might be enjoying some of the best pristine ocean and parkland environments in the world, but you can still die in a road crash by making poor choices, not driving to the conditions, not appreciating the limitations of your driving skills or acknowledging that sand driving is not the same as highway driving,” he said.

SUBSCRIBE here now for our FREE news feed, direct to your inbox daily!

Subscribe to SCN’s free daily news email

Hidden
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
[scn_go_back_button] Return Home
Share