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More than a quarter of Queensland’s younger motorists admit they get behind the wheel without wearing a seatbelt and almost as many say they have driven while on drugs.
The figures in RACQ’s 2026 Annual Road Safety Survey indicate a deeply concerning trend, says Josh Cooney, the motoring club’s executive manager of road safety.
According to the survey, 28 per cent of Queenslanders aged 18 to 24 admitted to driving without a seatbelt, an increase of 9 per cent from the previous year’s figure.
Just over 22 per cent of those polled admitted to driving under the influence of drugs, up from 15.9 per cent of drivers in that age bracket.
And while the number of young drivers who admit to speeding had fallen, it remained high at three in five drivers, or 63.2 per cent.
“Young drivers continue to be overrepresented in serious and fatal crashes on our roads, and
these latest results are worrying,” Cooney said.
“In 2025, P-plate drivers and riders were involved in 10 per cent of deaths on Queensland roads – a
tragic reminder that inexperience, risk-taking and poor decisions behind the wheel can have
devastating consequences.
“Every time someone drives without a seatbelt, speeds or gets behind the wheel intoxicated, they
are putting their life and the lives of others at risk.”
Cooney called for more random breath tests, more roadside drug tests and mandatory drug
testing for every crash police attended to increase the chances dangerous drivers were caught
before they caused serious harm.
“The more visible police are on our roads to deter and detect dangerous behaviours, the better
our chances of curbing this road safety crisis that’s tragically killing far too many Queenslanders,” he said.
Queensland has recorded 185 road deaths so far this year. Last month, the RACQ raised concerns about the road toll surpassing last year’s.
More than 300 people lost their lives on Queensland roads in 2025, marking the highest road toll in 16 years.
Road deaths in 2026 are on track to be even higher. To raise awareness of the expected toll, 107 life-sized silhouettes were installed in King George Square.
RACQ said the message behind the campaign was simple: the number of people represented by the silhouettes had not yet been lost.
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