LNP Leader Deb Frecklington has pledged to launch a crackdown on road rage by introducing targeted penalties for offenders.
Ms Frecklington said road rage threatened the lives of drivers, their passengers and the public.
“I want to make sure every Queensland driver gets home safely,” Ms Frecklington said.
“The combination of high speeds and hot heads means road rage can strike suddenly and ruin lives.
“Even in bumper-to-bumper traffic, road rage can erupt and cause enormous harm.
“We won’t tolerate road rage any longer and targeted offences will help deter the deadly behaviour.
“The LNP’s laws send the message if you lose control, you lose your licence for at least three years and may ultimately face jail time.”
Unlike New South Wales and Western Australia, Queensland doesn’t have specific offences for road rage.
LNP Shadow Attorney-General David Janetzki said the LNP, if elected in 2020, would mirror New South Wales legislation and introduce offences of ‘menacing driving’ and ‘predatory driving’.
“Repeat offenders will be taken off our streets with lengthier sentences and longer licence disqualification periods.
“Making road rage an offence will make it easier to take culprits to court and get them off our streets.
“Driver distraction, drugs and drink driving are making roads more dangerous too.
“We’ve got to crack down on poor road behaviour and this policy is about protecting motorists and reducing the horrific damage road rage causes.”
LNP’s Road Rage Laws
‘Menacing driving’ is committed by a person who drives a motor vehicle on a road in a manner that menaces (or ought to have known it would menace) another person with the intention of menacing that other person.
- Under the LNP’s laws, intent to menace carries a maximum penalty of $3,300 or imprisonment for 18 months (or both). The possibility of menace carries a maximum penalty of $2,200 or imprisonment for 12 months (or both).
Predatory driving is an indictable offence and applies where the driver of a vehicle who, while in pursuit of or travelling near another vehicle engages in a course of conduct that causes or threatens an impact involving the other vehicle and causes a person in the other vehicle actual bodily harm.
- Predatory driving carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment for five years.
Both offences impose mandatory licence disqualification of at least three years, which increases to five years for repeat offenders.