Each year, many people are injured due to accidents on Queensland roads. Whether it’s your daily commute or a road trip, a few tips could prevent this from happening to you. Make them part of your routine to keep yourself and other drivers safe every day.
With the state’s annual road toll reaching a 16-year high in 2025, drivers are being urged to be careful. The leading causes of car accidents in Queensland are speeding, drink driving, and drug driving. Followed closely by fatigue and distractions such as mobile phones or changing the radio station. The following tips include minimising fatigue and distractions, as well as other practical steps you can take to drive safely.
1. Plan your drive
Planning your drive can help you be less distracted when you’re driving and less likely to rush. Know where you are going, where you’re going to park, and if there are conditions such as school zones or roadwork along the way. This will reduce any stress due to delays and give you more control over your drive.
2. Don’t drive tired
A lot of people face fatigue from a range of factors including work, children, or other life stressors. The times when it may become dangerous is late at night and early in the morning.
While tiredness can feel unavoidable, it’s important to notice signs such as blinking more than usual, your eyes going out of focus, feeling exhausted or drowsy, struggling to hold your head up, and daydreaming. If this is happening at times you need to drive, think about ways to avoid this risk. For example, you may consider catching public transport, carpooling, or seeking assistance from your doctor to see if there are underlying reasons for your fatigue.
Other tips for reducing fatigue include proactively getting a good night’s sleep, understanding the effects of medicine, and taking breaks if your commute or drive is long. If possible, avoid driving during times you usually sleep and avoid long drives after a day of work.
3. Avoid screen distractions
Distractions are another leading cause of accidents in Queensland. Avoid looking at your mobile phone, changing the radio station, doing things on your car screen, or turning around and talking to passengers. The more you’re focused on the road, other drivers, and the conditions, the less likely you are to have an accident.
4. Be on high alert during peak times
Pay extra attention during peak times such as work commutes and school pick up. As well as having more cars on the road, people may be driving more erratically or distracted than usual. In bumper-to-bumper traffic, it can be easy to have a lapse in concentration or experience unpredictable driving behaviour from other people as they become frustrated or angry. Always try to remain calm, focused, and aware of what is happening around you.
5. Stay on the lookout for school zones
In school zones, children may run out suddenly onto the road, cars may stop unexpectedly, and the area is generally very busy. It’s important to stick to the speed limits that change within school times, pay extra attention and give other drivers space, and follow rules about stopping and double parking.
6. Pay attention to signs and lane markings
Paying attention to road signs may seem obvious but if you’re in a rush or distracted, you may miss them. Not obeying road signs such as stop, give way, or no left turn, can easily lead to an accident. You can find a list of common Queensland road rule signs and what they mean on the Queensland government website.
7. Keep a safe following distance
Safe following distances are at least 2 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you in good conditions (this is more than a car length). In rainy or foggy conditions, you should double your following distance. If you’re driving a heavy vehicle or towing a trailer, you add extra distance (generally 1 extra second for each 3 metres of trailer length).
8. Use your signals early
To give people time to respond, always use your indicators early and make sure your break lights are working. You should also ease into slowing down rather than suddenly slowing your speed. It makes your driving more predictable for other people who are using the road, including motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.
9. Check your blind spots
When you’re changing lanes or merging, checking your blind spots is critical. A quick over-the-shoulder check can catch cars that you can’t see in your mirrors.
10. Always drive to suit conditions
In conditions such as rain and fog, it may take longer to stop due to wet conditions, you may have low visibility, and pedestrians can behave more erratically. Lowering your speed will give you more time to stop and help keep yourself and others safe. The amount you reduce it by will depend on the severity of the conditions. For example, in light rain you may only need to reduce your speed by 5-10km/h but in heavier conditions it may be much more significant.
Make these tips part of your driving routine to stay safe out there on the roads and protect others.