Images show trauma impact

11:15a.m. 5th January 2009

Heartbreaking: The woman’s daughter arrived at the roadside while looking for her mum and collapsed on the road after learning that she was dead. Photo: Jason Dougherty/180241

The image is graphic and heartbreaking.

A woman collapses on the road in anguish after learning her mother has died in a crash in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

There will be those who criticise our use of the photo, those who say it is an intrusion into this poor woman’s grief.

But it is our grief as well because every time a life is lost on our roads it cuts a little deeper into our collective soul.

Hopefully by sharing the reality of road trauma – the anguish a death causes to the loved ones left behind and the pain felt by the wider community – we can do something about saving lives.

We began 2009 with a clean slate and the hope that this would be the year we lost fewer loved ones on our roads.

Recording two deaths after just four days was not the start we had hoped for.

During one nine-day period late last year seven people died on our roads.

While the start of a new year presents a clean slate and new hope for the next 12 months, only we – the people who use the roads – can do anything about ensuring that doesn’t happen again, and again, and again.

Yesterday was not a good start and as painful as it is to look at, hopefully the sheer anguish on this woman’s face will strike a chord with everyone who gets behind the wheel of a car.

If it saves just one life, its use will be justified.

Recent Comments

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Posted by toolangi from Toolangi

on 5 January, 2009 at 12:32 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

I was surprised to see this photo published. The woman killed was my dear cousin, who it is believed had a massive heart attack. We are all grieving the loss of this loving gentle woman. So sad that one of her daughters' grief was captured for all to see, but honestly if looking in on another's grief helps to make other people more careful behind the wheel then that can only be a good thing. But does it?

Posted by oversubscribed from maroochydore

on 5 January, 2009 at 8:55 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

The Daily should concentrate on reporting news in an ethical and moral manner. It does not need a gross intrusion of a woman's grief at the scene of her mothers death to sell newspapers. Quality journalism and community spirit was not reflected in your front page coverage.

Posted by Bob_Bates from Warana

on 5 January, 2009 at 9:04 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Her grief is not your grief. You have no soul. All you have is a newspaper to flog.

Disgusting.

Posted by sunnyone44 from Mooloolaba

on 6 January, 2009 at 5:58 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

Watching ACA I think it was recently they had a segment on road deaths and the impact on parents and others. This was a different slant on the usual stuff as a couple of women came to speak to the young drivers who were there because of their bad driving/hooning/speeding. Watching the faces of both of the women and the young men that were there you could see that this was a side of things the young had not seen before and they walked away from that room with greater insight into what can happen and how it affects others. If photo's of similar people are shown such as the tragic photo of the young woman here yes it may make people lift that right foot off the accelerator. My heart goes out to this woman and her family a dreadful loss for them all.

Posted by love_this_place from Sunshine Coast

on 6 January, 2009 at 6:39 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

You know normally I am against such exploitation of someones grief, especially by the media but I have to say that I hear constantly of terrible accidents and for a very brief moment pause to think how sad. And then continue on my way.....like most people. This for me was very different, it put a human face to such pain and it made me think long and hard about the outcome of a fatal car accident. I am so sad for this family and may their mother rest in piece.

Posted by Tania from Tewantin

on 6 January, 2009 at 7:03 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

I believe that most people would feel heartache towards such pictures of such very emotional times. I understand we all may have different opinions of such images, however the reality is that people are killed on our roads.

My mother died in a car accident on the Sunshine Coast in April 1999 and the front page of the daily showed a picture of the bus driver who had collided with my Mum's car. My mum failed to give way at a dangerous intersection (which fortunatley a round-a-bout is now in place). My mother had a great driving record, however there were circumstances which contributed to the accident, such as a large tree on a naturestrip overhanging the roadway, the tree being very similar colour of the bus. When I saw the picture of the distressed bus driver I felt terrible and couldn't understand how anyone could print such a picture in the newspaper. My emotions were naturally all over the place and I kept looking at the picture asking myself how could someone print. Although I was emotionally upset my heart went out to the bus driver as I realised we were not alone in our grief.

Please drive carefully, it only takes a split second for a life to be so tragically taken.

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