Police have confirmed a man has lost his life after a horrific crash on the Sunshine Coast.
Emergency services were called to Bli Bli about 7.15am yesterday to reports of a two-vehicle crash involving a car and a truck.
Initial investigations indicated the car, a Mazda 3, was traveling east on Bli Bli Road, between Prentis Road and Cooney Road, when it collided with the truck, a Hino FE, travelling the opposite direction.
The driver and sole occupant of the car, a 56-year-old Parklands man, was declared dead at the scene.
The driver of the truck, a 50-year-old Nambour man, was transported to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for assessment but was not physically injured.
Bli Bli Road was closed for more than three hours following the crash.
Investigations by the Forensic Crash Unit are ongoing. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage is urged to contact police.
Sunshine Coast News chose not to publish photos of the crash, or news of the fatality until family members were notified.
The crash coincided with the launch of Road Safety Week, which runs from August 26-30 and is focusing on the theme of ‘One Team’, to highlight how all road users can work together with police to strengthen safety on the roads.
The Sunshine Coast district has now tragically lost eight people on the roads this year, and for every life lost there is an additional 26 people who receive serious injury from road trauma.
Sunshine Coast District Officer Superintendent Craig Hawkins said every decision we make behind the wheel counts.
“Police will be conducting high visibility and covert traffic enforcement operations across the Sunshine Coast this week, and will be engaging with the community to talk about how we can all strengthen our road safety,” Superintendent Hawkins said.
“I urge everyone to be aware of and understand the Fatal Five – speeding, drink driving, failing to wear seatbelts and driving while tired or distracted – all of which are major contributors to lives lost on our roads and avoidable.
“Sunshine Coast police are committed to reducing the trauma on our roads, but we can’t do that without the help of those who are actually behind the steering wheel.”
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