A horrific collision at a rural intersection in northeast Queensland has resulted in the deaths of two elderly people.
The incident occurred on Thursday at the intersection of the Kennedy Hwy and Malanda Atherton Rd in Atherton, approximately 90 minutes southwest of Cairns.
A man in his 80s and a woman in her 70s were traveling in a Toyota Landcruiser when they collided with a Subaru towing a caravan at around 11:45 pm.
Despite efforts by emergency services to treat the pair at the scene, they were unable to save them.
Locals Call for Improved Road Safety
Motorists familiar with the intersection took to a local Facebook community group to express their concerns about the danger of the intersection.
Many commented that the lack of traffic lights at the intersection contributed to the crash and that it was only a matter of time before something like this happened.
One person wrote, “Perhaps it’s time for some traffic lights. There are too many accidents happening.
So many spots that would benefit from traffic lights… I myself was in a three-car pile-up in Atherton also… traffic lights could have prevented that.”
Others suggested that adding extra lanes to the highway could also help reduce accidents in the area.
The crash has sparked a conversation about the need for improved road safety on the Kennedy Hwy at Atherton, particularly at multiple turn-offs.