Fatal Accident on Fraser Island

Speed may likely be the cause, but with all the rain on the coast of late there's a good chance a washout may have been involved also, possible a combination of both those even....who knows, a tragedy for those involved whatever the cause.

.
10 years ago, following a number of vehicle rollover accidents which involved injury and death, the Queensland Government introduced requirements for 4WD hire companies to limit backpacker hire to tagalong with a company lead vehicle. This certainly was effective in reducing these severe rollover accidents and I have witnessed some of these tagalong groups driving conscientiously.

In more recent times I have seen single vehicles with what appear to be young international passengers.
Furthermore, in searching the websites of several Fraser 4WD companies I find options for tagalong hire but no mention that this is a requirement for backpackers. Perhaps the requirement is not proclaimed until the potential customers are within the premises? Or has that regulation been removed?
During my most recent visit a few weeks ago, I saw no tagalongs or young international tourists, but this was probably due to the Covid19 situation.

Certainly, speed is always a factor in any accident, but I observe most people obeying the 80kph limit on the Eastern Beach. Of the several rollovers that I have observed, it would seem likely that it was caused by turning too sharply while still at some significant speed. The wheel tracks suggested that the vehicle was swinging off the firm sand onto the softer sand up the beach. With the centrifugal force of turning, the front offside wheel digs into the sand and of course the vehicle rolls. However, I never did learn the 'official' finding of the cause of these accidents. It is a driving behaviour that most experienced off-road drivers would be aware of but I wonder if it forms part of the hiring instruction, or if it does, is it absorbed?

Just because you CAN do 80 km/hr doesn't mean you should.
Washouts present with little to no warning, and can be present even during drought along beaches like on Fraser.Young men, particularly in company, and particularly in a foreign country often like to push boundaries.

Genny:

"Just because you CAN doesn't mean you should."

Best advice my late brother, a traffic policeman in WA, ever gave me.

It applies to so many things.

And in his role as an accident investigator he saw the consequences every day.

Sad story nonetheless

Allan is on the mark. I nearly had a head on with Europeans in a troopy. Approaching where you drive off beach to go over rocks I was driving near the water. A euro trippy flew from the rocks to near water edge and suddenly realised, not in Europe now. I slowed and he turned the wheel nearly rolling the vehicle with a "dig in" sprayed me with sand. Very close indeed. Psycho driving!

.
It is rather pointless to say that you don't HAVE to do 80kph.
If it is posted that 80 is the speed limit then it implies that it is allowable to travel at that speed unless there is a perceivable reason to do otherwise. If not, what is the point of declaring an upper limit. And of course you may elect to travel more slowly.

.
Candace, they may have already been in Australia before the border closure.

If that's the case, they were in the midst of what will be a very long holiday in Australia!

According to the ABC they were all NSW residents, albeit 'British Nationals'.

.
Yes, Banjo is quite right. A later ABC News report has that information.

I was about to post that same link! All four in the vehicle were residents, not tourists at all.

.
Does that somehow make a constructive difference Candace?

It provides an answer to her question :-)

.
Ah, right, thanks for stepping in to help Ozzie.

No wurries, always happy to help :-)