Bans on Fraser Island continue

Craig Warhurst

A BAN on roof rack loads and reduced passenger numbers are the latest moves in a State Government crackdown on four-wheel-drive hire operations on Fraser Island, after a double fatality accident on the island's ocean beach in April.

Transport minister Rachel Nolan said the new restrictions were part of an ongoing effort to improve vehicle safety at the popular tourist destination.

Ms Nolan said the ban on roof rack luggage would reduce chances of rollover accidents by lowering the centre of gravity of any hire four-wheel-drive vehicle, while passenger numbers would be cut from 11 to seven.

She said the changes she was making followed clear advice from her department that the greatest risk on Fraser was faced by foreign visitors in hired troop carriers.

“Between 2003 and 209 there have been 41 serious accidents from which people required medical treatment.

“My department has detailed information on 36 of them and it shows that almost 60 per cent involved foreign drivers and more than 85 per cent of those were in vehicles with more than nine seats,” she said.

The latest restrictions come soon after a Queensland Transport blitz on 33 vehicles, with only 19 of them passing an initial roadworthiness inspection.

“Of those that failed, 13 were issued with major defect notices and one was issued with a minor defect notice,” she said.

Defects detected in the blitz included brake problems, seat belt concerns and extensive rust areas.

“I can confirm that all 14 of the defective vehicles were removed from the road immediately and they will all have to be repaired to the acceptable level of roadworthiness before being allowed back on the road.

Further inspections had shown improvements, with repairs including new tyres, new springs and attachments, new shock absorbers, new steering components, new seatbelts, brake overhauls, rust and electrical repairs.

The crackdown had also resulted in another 18 vehicles being de-registered before they were inspected,” she said.

Since then the roadworthiness blitz had brought the total of vehicle inspections to 90, with only 59 found to be roadworthy.

Earlier in the year, the government reduced beach speed limits on the island from 100kmh to 80kmh.

She said crash statistics involving hire vehicles showed “there is a safety issue among groups of visitors, generally backpackers, who have been able to come from abroad without relevant driving experience, load up a troop carrier, and take off.

“That clear evidence of a specific safety problem can't be ignored and it is why I have decided to take this targeted action,” she said.

Ms Nolan said further changes would include a ban on vehicles carrying a load on the roof.

“If a vehicle is carrying a significant load on its roof, then the centre of gravity is raised, which increases the likelihood of a rollover occurring. These new restrictions will reduce this risk.”