Easter 2023: 17 lives lost in deadly long weekend; more than 18,500 penalties

Seventeen people lost their lives on Australian roads over the Easter long weekend, as police forces across the nation call for motorists to take care.

The toll includes the death of four adults in a crash in the New South Wales southern tablelands, near Yass, on Good Friday.

The New South Wales Police Force said emergency services were called to a two-vehicle collision on the Barton Highway at Jeir – 30km south-east of Yass – at 6:45am on Friday, April 7.

A 52-year-old woman and 54-year-old male in a Mitsubishi Triton, and the driver and rear passenger of a Ford Ranger, died at the scene. Another man travelling in the Ford was transported to Canberra Hospital in a critical condition.

A female motorcyclist died following a collision with a vehicle in Waterfall Way in New South Wales on Friday, while a 31-year-old male pedestrian died after being struck by a car in Tamworth on Easter Monday.

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Another motorcyclist was killed following a three-vehicle crash in Watermans Bay, near Perth in Western Australia, and a quad bike rider died at Finke Track, near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, in an accident with a motorbike.

In regional Victoria, a male driver was charged with culpable driving causing death, dangerous driving causing death, and negligent driving causing serious injury following a fatal collision in Wangaratta on Easter Sunday.

Victoria Police said a Jeep Grand Cherokee lost control about 7:15pm, with excessive speed believed to be a factor in the crash.

A 26-year-old male front passenger died at the scene, while two other passengers were airlifted to Melbourne with critical injuries.

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Six drivers died in single-vehicle accidents across Australia, including a learner driver in Lake Plains, near Adelaide.

The 16-year-old, who was alone in the vehicle without a full licence holder supervisor, died after his Honda station wagon left the road and crashed into a tree on Easter Sunday.

A 26-year-old woman was charged with causing death by dangerous driving and “other traffic offences” in Tasmania after her Toyota Camry collided with an MG on the Arthur Highway, near Copping, on Good Friday.

The female passenger of the MG died at the scene.

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A two-vehicle crash near Townsville claimed the life of a male driver on Monday after his vehicle veered into the opposite lane, colliding with a Toyota four-wheel-drive.

Australian Automobile Association managing director, Michael Bradley, said all drivers need to consider their actions behind the wheel, no matter the time of the year.

“Any death on the roads is a tragedy and once again this Easter we have seen too many fatalities. Every person is responsible for their driving behaviour and we must all remind ourselves of the need to be careful on the roads,” he said.

“But we also need greater focus from our governments on road safety, including more openness about data they hold about the causes of accidents and the state of our roads so we can formulate strategies that will reverse the upward trajectory in road trauma.

“The numbers are telling us the current approach is not working.”

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Across the nation, more than 18,500 traffic infringements were issued, with double demerits in place over the long weekend in New South Wales, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.

Victoria Police said 80 per cent of speeding offences between April 6 and 10 were between 10km/h and 25km/h above the posted sign limit, while mobile phone offences were up 31 per cent over last Easter.

Last month, the state rolled out mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras – though an advisory period applies for the first three months before infringement notices are issued.