Heart-stopping footage of a car travelling at high-speed clipping a truck on the side of a highway has been released amid a mounting road safety campaign to better protect roadside workers and first responders from passing traffic.
The footage, released by the state's peak motoring body, shows drivers travelling at excessive speeds colliding with parked RACQ vehicles attending call outs on the side of highways across the state.
It comes as the Queensland government announced it would begin industry consultations into road safety measures to better protect paramedics, police or roadside assistance workers from passing traffic.
The legislation would require Queensland motorists to move over or slow down around crash sites and roadside incidents — similar to current laws involving cyclists.
RACQ have estimated 70 per cent of its roadside workers have experienced a near miss at least once a year.
One of those people is roadside assistance patrol Howard Strasser who helps broken down motorists get back on their way on roads across the state.
His job often requires him to lie down on the bitumen just metres from streams of high-speed, oncoming traffic to change flat tyres or fix electrical wiring.
"It can be very, very scary," Mr Strasser said.
"We take our safety precautions obviously with the way we park our vehicle but the one thing we can't control is the motorists going past.
"It's our workplace and we do our best to protect ourselves, as well as the members but sometimes you're working [by the side of the road] on a flat tyre.
Mr Strasser appealed to motorists passing stopped vehicles to be considerate.
"It could be you broken down in that situation and it is very scary for you as well as us, so just imagine yourself in our shoes and just give us some space please," he said.
'Life-saving legislation'
Queensland Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the legislation was about "keeping our first responders safe".
He said the feedback would inform new or amended road rules and lead to improvements to driver education, safety campaigns and traffic management solutions.
Motoring groups around the state have welcomed the move.
"It's lifesaving legislation," RACQ chief executive officer assistance Glenn Toms said.
"Any one of us can break down on the roadside, run out of fuel, have a mechanical issue," he said.
"There are a lot of people driving on our roads and not everyone obeys the law and that's human nature.
"Some motorists indeed are courteous, some aren't.
Mr Toms said the RACQ was not asking for specific speed limits around stopped cars or crash sites but rather increased awareness.
"We're not after a particular speed, but certainly an awareness that they have to slow down and more importantly, move over."
Recommendations from industry consultation will be submitted to the department in the final quarter of 2021.
