Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is warning drivers of serious injuries or death if they don’t take care when driving on beaches.
The warning follows 11 beach rollovers during the Easter long weekend.
QPWS Ranger, Erin Atkinson said people driving on a beach must drive to conditions as the shifting sands and tides could be unforgiving.
“Rainbow Beach Towing advised the QPWS it attended 11 rollovers across Teewah, the Cooloola Coast and K’gari over the Easter weekend,” Ms Atkinson said.
“This number of beach rollovers during a long weekend is unacceptable and that is 11 or more possible fatalities that were somehow avoided.”
She said inexperienced beach drivers were ignoring the conditions and getting into trouble. Even experienced drivers were ignoring the rules.
“Thankfully, everyone involved in these rollovers escaped serious injury, but many of the vehicles have been completely ruined by rolling over or being swamped by the tide,” Ms Atkinson said.
“The people involved in those rollovers are extremely lucky to be alive and uninjured, and they’ve walked away with memories they’ll keep but not the ones they wanted.”
She said driving on vegetated sand dunes was unlawful and could damage vegetation and habitat for nesting turtles and shorebirds.
“At the weekend, a driver not only rolled his vehicle over, he also received a $275 fine for driving on vegetated sand dunes and had to pay a towing fee,” the ranger said.
“Normal road rules apply to the beach, so people must slow down, drive to the conditions and wear a seatbelt,” she said.
