Plea for drivers to slow down

Motorists are being urged to slow down in Moreton Bay, with careless driving, high traffic volumes and shorter daylight hours putting wildlife at risk.

Each week 8.8 million vehicle movements are detected in the City’s wildlife zones, according to Council LED signage installed to improve safety in ecological corridors.

With high traffic volumes and winter heightening the risk of wildlife-vehicle collisions, Council is pleading with drivers to lookout for wildlife, especially on these roads:

Winn Rd Cashmere

Torrens Rd, Petrie

Nathan Rd, Kippa-Ring

Lilley Rd, Warner

Boundary Rd, North Lakes

Gibbons Rd, Samford Valley

Sheaves Rd, Kallangur

Beeville Rd, Petrie

Plucks Rd, Ferny Hills

Marsden Rd, Kallangur

Central Springs Parade Smiths Rd, Caboolture

“Every kilometre above the speed limit endangers wildlife, especially in winter when shorter daylight hours mean more driving at dawn and dusk that are peak feeding times for koalas, kangaroos and other animals,” Mayor Peter Flannery said.

“Each year, we receive around 110 speed limit review requests for Council roads and, concerningly, around 10-15 per cent of those involve concerns about wildlife safety.

“We are pleading with drivers to make sure they stick to designated speed limits and stay alert for animals in our wildlife zones.”

City of Moreton Bay manages 3806km of local roads, including many in ecological corridors with confirmed wildlife activity.

Since 2020, Council has installed more than 150 radar-based LED signs that detect approaching vehicle speed.

When a sign detects a vehicle, it alerts the driver to the increased risk of wildlife crossings and, if the vehicle is speeding, it advises them to slow down.

A recent analysis of these ‘Vehicle Activated Signs’ shows they are working, with 86 per cent of motorists detected travelling at or below the speed limit.

This is a positive sign given a survey of Queensland motorists in 2024 showed drivers reported compliance with speed limits up to 74.1 per cent of the time they were behind the wheel.