Blockley, Michael Gary; Watson, Stevie Lee; Teske, Neil Lackland; Donaldson, Michael Bruce; and Nugent, Christopher John

Multiple fatal injuries sustained in motor vehicle accident; for driver (Blockley): complications of head and lung trauma with hypoxia; for passengers: massive soft tissue and bony trauma

Five young workers died in a motor vehicle accident on 7 April 2006 when the driver, aged 20, was travelling at 150-160 km/h and attempted an unsafe overtaking maneuver on the Toowoomba-Cecil Plains Road. The driver lost control during the overtake, overcorrected, and the vehicle became airborne after striking a power pole. All five occupants sustained fatal injuries. Notably, the driver had a brain tumour at the optic chiasm that may have caused visual disturbance, though the degree of impairment was not formally tested. The coroner highlighted the ongoing problem of young drivers speeding despite government campaigns and police enforcement. This case illustrates the catastrophic consequences of dangerous driving and the importance of pre-driving medical assessment, particularly for vision-impairing conditions.