Accidents 2001

ACCIDENTS AND CRIME 2001
Crossing our highways is dangerous for our children. A boy was killed in 1997 on the Capt Cook Hwy near Smithfield High School. At the same location, a boy has been hit in January this year. In February a teenager has died after crossing the Bruce Hwy at Gordonvale. People have lobbied for traffic lights at intersections on the Brinsmead/Kamerunga Rd near Peace Lutheran School. All these highways bisect communities. People, especially children travelling to school, sporting venues, shops, have to cross the highways, rivers and railway lines. CBUG has also reported that people cross the Brinsmead/Kamerunga Rd at Fairweather St and cyclists are crossing the Bruce Hwy at Progress Rd, just north of Robert Rd, Edmonton and children cross the railway line via a goat track opposite Foster Rd and Bruce Hwy, White Rock.
On the road to recovery is the way to go for the 13 yr old student hit by a car on the Capt Cook Hwy, Smithfield, in January. A boy was killed at the same location 7th July 1997. CBUG inspected the site, made a deputation to the Smithfield High School Principal and made an official report requesting lights in the underpass and reporting unsocial behaviour at the underpass as a reason but not the only reason, why students were crossing the highway, CBUG Report No 74, 4th August 1997. Lights were placed in the underpass in 1998. In April 2000, the lights were vandalised and had to be replaced. The School, Police, Main Roads and the Council are now taking action to ensure a safer environment at the underpass.
Riding on the highways can be dangerous too. Narrow roads with no shoulders, close to drop-offs and embankments and bad visibility on corners are not good cycling conditions. Where cycling in Cairns is good, riding on the highways, Kuranda Range, Bruce Hwy south of Edmonton and the Capt Cook Hyw north of Palm Cove is not so good.
Riding on local collector and distributor streets is a mixture of good and bad. Roads such as Hardy Rd, Bi-centennial Rd. Riverstone Rd, Machans Beach Rd, Varley St, Boulders Rd, Foster Rd, Henley St, Ishmael Rd, Dunne Rd, McGregor Rd, and more, are dangerous where they don't have road shoulders, bike lanes or paths. Many streets have car parking lanes which can be used by cyclists only where there are no parked cars.

SUBJECT COLOUR CODE: Red, Dangerous; Orange, Hazard; Green, good; Black, completed

DATE No SUBJECT LOCATION AGENCY PROBLEM ACTION

5/12/2001 11 Cyclist McLeod St near Cairns Central Shopping Centre Cairns Post 5/12/01 A man assaulted a 25 yr old Japanese woman - struck her on the forehead and stole her bike about 10.30 pm - He fled on the bike and was last seen crossing a railway line into Bunda St The man has a dark complexion, slim build, 170 cm tall, short hair, brown eyes, wearing orange sleeveless T shirt and long trousers
-/3/2001 10 Cyclist Bruce Hwy and Sheehy Rd CBUG Report 146 cyclist fell off bike after running into island that had been constructed the day before and was not clearly visible - lack of warning device Main Roads is requested to place warning device at new constructions until work completed
6/8/2001 9 Cyclist Intersection Martyn St and Minnie St Cairns Post 8/8/2001 29 yr man collided with a white Holden panel van on corner of intersection at 9.10 pm - van driven by 18 yr old was travelling north on Martyn St from Mulgrave Rd - the bicycle was dragged under the vehicle - the cyclist was thrown on to the windscreen - the driver was also injured by the windscreen Police are appealing for any witnesses - this intersection has cement islands that blocks off traffic from crossing Martyn St - cutouts are available for pedestrians and cyclists - 14/3/02 cyclist suffered head injuries and multiple compound fractures and is receiving further hospital treatment
23/7/2001 8 Cyclist Rex Range Highway near Jullaten Cairns Post 25/7/2001 and 8/2/03 female cyclist 54 yrs killed when hit by car monday morning Police investigations into the incident were continuing - 8/2/03 disqualified driver for drink driving man 35yrs pleaded guilty dangerous driving causing death sentenced to gaol for three and a half years and disqualified from driving for four years
28/6/2001 7 Pedestrian Corner Esplanade and Shields St Cairns Post 29/6/2001 50 yr male American tourist suffered serious facial injuries and broken leg hit by a car hit the windscreen with his head just before 7 pm Report from ambulance
29/3/2001 6 Cyclist Kuranda Range - 1 km from lookout Cairns Post 31/3/2001 cyclist's collision with semi-trailer Treated by ambulance - $15,000 racing bicycle stolen by man who offered to transport bicycle to Cairns
17/3/2001 - Bicycle Spence St opposite Reef Hotel Casino Cairns Post 17/3/2001 mountain bike chained to a signpost ended up hangin from the top of the bus zone sign with chain wrapped around good the thief couldn't get the bike over the sign
16/3/2001 - Bicycle McCormack St Manunda Cairns Post 17/3/2001 and 5/4/2001 woman's green mountain bike not returned when loaned to man about 25 yrs caucasian slim build 165 cm brown hair fair complexion wearing dark shirt and shorts woman has been given a mountain bike by a good samaritan Information about the thief contact Cairns Police 4030 7000 Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000
14/2/2001 5 Near Accident corner Shields St and Lake St CBUG Report 142 cyclist's near collision with left turn vehicle cyclist's statutory declaration
21/2/2001 4 Pedestrian Hardy Rd, Edmonton Cairns Post 22/2/2001 5-year-old child believed to be a girl was hit by a vehicle at 8.45 pm She was transported to the Cairns Base Hospital with serious abrasions
10/2/2001 3 Pedestrian Bruce Hwy, Gordonvale Cairns Post 12/2/2001 and 14/2/2001 teenage boy hit by car shortly after mid-night Boy died next day in hospital
4/2/2001 2 Pedestrian Spence St, city, opposite Underdog Hotel Cairns Post 14/2/2001 80 yr old man, hit by semi - trailer, day time Leg was severed and man died 9 days later
30/1/2001 1 Cyclist Capt Cook Hwy, just north of McGregor Rd Cairns Post 31/1/2001 A 13 yr boy's bike collided with a car just after 3.30 pm Serious head injuries and multiple fractures - satisfactory condition - 9th April, micro-surgery on ankle, month in hospital, two months bedridden, wheelchair mobility - recovering

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DATE	No	SUBJECT	LOCATION	AGENCY	PROBLEM	ACTION
5/12/2001	11	Cyclist	McLeod St near Cairns Central Shopping Centre	Cairns Post 5/12/01	A man assaulted a 25 yr old Japanese woman - struck her on the forehead and stole her bike about 10.30 pm - He fled on the bike and was last seen crossing a railway line into Bunda St	The man has a dark complexion, slim build, 170 cm tall, short hair, brown eyes, wearing orange sleeveless T shirt and long trousers
-/3/2001	10	Cyclist	Bruce Hwy and Sheehy Rd	CBUG Report 146	cyclist fell off bike after running into island that had been constructed the day before and was not clearly visible - lack of warning device	Main Roads is requested to place warning device at new constructions until work completed
6/8/2001	9	Cyclist	Intersection Martyn St and Minnie St	Cairns Post 8/8/2001	29 yr man collided with a white Holden panel van on corner of intersection at 9.10 pm - van driven by 18 yr old was travelling north on Martyn St from Mulgrave Rd - the bicycle was dragged under the vehicle - the cyclist was thrown on to the windscreen - the driver was also injured by the windscreen	Police are appealing for any witnesses - this intersection has cement islands that blocks off traffic from crossing Martyn St - cutouts are available for pedestrians and cyclists - 14/3/02 cyclist suffered head injuries and multiple compound fractures and is receiving further hospital treatment
23/7/2001	8	Cyclist	Rex Range Highway near Jullaten	Cairns Post 25/7/2001 and 8/2/03	female cyclist 54 yrs killed when hit by car monday morning	Police investigations into the incident were continuing - 8/2/03 disqualified driver for drink driving man 35yrs pleaded guilty dangerous driving causing death sentenced to gaol for three and a half years and disqualified from driving for four years
28/6/2001	7	Pedestrian	Corner Esplanade and Shields St	Cairns Post 29/6/2001	50 yr male American tourist suffered serious facial injuries and broken leg hit by a car hit the windscreen with his head just before 7 pm	Report from ambulance
29/3/2001	6	Cyclist	Kuranda Range - 1 km from lookout	Cairns Post 31/3/2001	cyclist's collision with semi-trailer	Treated by ambulance - $15,000 racing bicycle stolen by man who offered to transport bicycle to Cairns
17/3/2001	-	Bicycle	Spence St opposite Reef Hotel Casino	Cairns Post 17/3/2001	mountain bike chained to a signpost ended up hangin from the top of the bus zone sign with chain wrapped around	good the thief couldn't get the bike over the sign
16/3/2001	-	Bicycle	McCormack St Manunda	Cairns Post 17/3/2001 and 5/4/2001	woman's green mountain bike not returned when loaned to man about 25 yrs caucasian slim build 165 cm brown hair fair complexion wearing dark shirt and shorts	woman has been given a mountain bike by a good samaritan Information about the thief contact Cairns Police 4030 7000 Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000
14/2/2001	5	Near Accident	corner Shields St and Lake St	CBUG Report 142	cyclist's near collision with left turn vehicle	cyclist's statutory declaration
21/2/2001	4	Pedestrian	Hardy Rd, Edmonton	Cairns Post 22/2/2001	5-year-old child believed to be a girl was hit by a vehicle at 8.45 pm	She was transported to the Cairns Base Hospital with serious abrasions
10/2/2001	3	Pedestrian	Bruce Hwy, Gordonvale	Cairns Post 12/2/2001 and 14/2/2001	teenage boy hit by car shortly after mid-night	Boy died next day in hospital
4/2/2001	2	Pedestrian	Spence St, city, opposite Underdog Hotel	Cairns Post 14/2/2001	80 yr old man, hit by semi - trailer, day time	Leg was severed and man died 9 days later
30/1/2001	1	Cyclist	Capt Cook Hwy, just north of McGregor Rd	Cairns Post 31/1/2001	A 13 yr boy's bike collided with a car just after 3.30 pm	Serious head injuries and multiple fractures - satisfactory condition - 9th April, micro-surgery on ankle, month in hospital, two months bedridden, wheelchair mobility - recovering