Australia Queensland - UK backpacker dies in beach crash

**dirtydog** · 19-04-2009, 10:53 PM

UK backpacker dies in beach crash

A British backpacker has been killed on a beach in Australia after the vehicle he was travelling in swerved to avoid an incoming wave and rolled 160 feet.

Ian Davy, 22, from West Yorkshire, along with an Italian woman died in the crash on Fraser Island in Queensland.

Eleven European tourists were in the Toyota Landcruiser when it lost control on 75 Mile beach.

Three other Britons were injured and taken to hospital in Brisbane. The dead man's family has been informed.

The BBC's Nick Bryant said three people were thrown from the vehicle which rolled along the sand and landed on its roof.

He said five Britons in their early 20s - four men and one woman - were among the passengers.

The beach was a notorious accident black spot which had seen around 120 vehicle accidents in the past six years, he added.

Locals say tourists are not used to driving on sand, which can be a treacherous surface especially when the tide changes.

Police in Australia said it was unclear whether speed had been a factor and that investigations were ongoing.

BBC NEWS | UK | UK backpacker dies in beach crash

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**blackgang** · 19-04-2009, 11:53 PM

No speed had nothing to do with it if the car only rolled 160 feet,, 170 or better would indicate speed.

**caller** · 20-04-2009, 01:50 AM

Eleven in a Landcruiser, is that right?

I've travelled from Noosa up to Fraser Island along the beach in a Landcruiser - its a great drive and experience and bar the driver, there were just the four of us.

Once the short hop on the ferry to the island was over, the driver took much more care on the beaches there, it is after all a sand island.

I guess there must be questions about the organisation of this particular trip?

Very sad news.

**Ningi** · 20-04-2009, 03:06 AM

Tragic accident!! but it is just 1 of hundreds every year in Queens land ,We live on the sunshine coast and are used to the carnage on the roads and beaches where 4 wheel drivibg is concerned. Most tourists come over here quite sane and sensible, hire a vehicle and head out into the madness what is queensland roads,I read of the comment about 11 people in the 7 seater, accidents with multiple deaths here on the roads at weekends are common , there was an accident here , 10people in a holden 1300 tincan 2 of the dead were travelling in the BOOT

Of course there are going to be accidents driving on the beaches here, foreign drivers see the antics and habits of aussie drivers and think they can do the same with tragic results , just a wee example , there is a 60kms anhour limit through our village, the road being only access to a nearby island, over the easter weekend ,according to local Police report 317 drivers were caught driving in excess of 100 kms an hour, many of them 4 wheel drives with off road tyres and towing boats and that combined with rain , paint your own picture

**Umbuku** · 20-04-2009, 04:05 AM

The beaches on Fraser Island are some of the most beautiful in Australia. The whole Island is a national park and has few roads crossing through the forest to preserve the environment. Consequently the beach is the main road and accidents happen. They were driving a hired 4wd, probably one of those Toyota landcruisers with bench seats down each side of the tray cabin. From the news footage there were many eskies (cool boxes) strewn amongst the wreckage. I would not be surprised if alcohol was involved.

Beach driving is more difficult than an off road track. The sand changes consistency quickly and there are often large drops where creeks and streams have eroded the sand away. Drops of over a meter are not uncommon.

A tragic case of too much speed, an inexperienced driver in a hired vehicle and probably a few brews under the belt.

**dirtydog** · 20-04-2009, 04:15 AM

Wjhat the beach is like vids.

**nedwalk** · 20-04-2009, 04:59 AM

overloaded, inexperience and probably still had the tyres inflated for the road, troopies full of trashpackers statistics waiting to happen,you see them but what can you say to them, drive safe? they just laugh at ya

**mobs00** · 20-04-2009, 09:43 AM

I've been there and done the same trip. Basically you load up the truck with around 10 people pack as much booze as possible in the eskys, bring a bit of food, the you're off. They don't show you how to drive the vehicles and certainly don't teach you how to drive in sand. It was me and a friend of mine from the states and 1 irish guy and 8 irish girls. Do they know how to drive in these conditions? Nope. One girl, one of those feministas

thought she could do just fine. So she got behind the wheel and almost flipped us. She hit a patch of soft sand and slammed on the brakes, exactly what we told her not to do. We were lucky, very lucky.

**Marmite the Dog** · 20-04-2009, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by mobs00

One girl, one of those feministas thought she could do just fine. So she got behind the wheel and almost flipped us. She hit a patch of soft sand and slammed on the brakes, exactly what we told her not to do. We were lucky, very lucky.

I never did work out why Women and Asian are allowed to drive.

**mobs00** · 20-04-2009, 09:56 AM

So, here we are for a 3 day trip:

3 cases of 4x bitter
6 cases of VB

a case of Goon
Bottle of vodka, Jack, Bundy

All this and we ran out the 2nd day.

**mediamanbkk** · 20-04-2009, 10:07 AM

^How many people?

**mobs00** · 20-04-2009, 10:08 AM

^ 11 of us

**mediamanbkk** · 20-04-2009, 11:09 AM

That's nearly a case of beer each!

**caller** · 20-04-2009, 01:55 PM

In view of the comments here, I'm glad my little journey was with a local company specilaising in these things - it was still a great day.

**Ningi** · 20-04-2009, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by mediamanbkk

^How many people?

Normal australian can and does drink 6 cans or Stubbies an hour, for 3 days 3 bottles of Bundy and 8 slabs of beer noworries

**mobs00** · 20-04-2009, 05:08 PM

^ Only I'm American. So how many can we drink?

**barbaro** · 20-04-2009, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by Ningi

Tragic accident!! but it is just 1 of hundreds every year in Queens land ,We live on the sunshine coast and are used to the carnage on the roads and beaches where 4 wheel drivibg is concerned.

Pardon my ignorance but,

If he was 4-wheeling on the beach how would he swerve to avoid a wave, unless he was driving too close to the shore line. He must have been driving very, very, fast to "roll 160 feet."

Obviously, with eleven people crammed into it, many were not wearing seatbelts.

Honestly, this was not accident by operator error and acting stupid.

**mobs00** · 20-04-2009, 06:06 PM

^ The backpackers normally drive at speeds between 70 - 90 kms/hr. It is simple for an inexperienced driver to make mistakes in sandy conditions.

Only a matter of time before the whole 4WD rental thing is closed down there.

**nedwalk** · 20-04-2009, 06:40 PM

well the powers that be are going to reduce the speed limit on the beach, like that will work! fraser is a beaut spot right in my backyard and its sad knowing that this will not be the last accident

**DrAndy** · 20-04-2009, 06:50 PM

Just ban driving on the beach

simple

keep those stupid bastards off what looks like a nice place

**barbaro** · 20-04-2009, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by DrAndy

Just ban driving on the beach

simple

keep those stupid bastards off what looks like a nice place

I think it's pretty stupid - beyond stupid that someone could roll a vehicle like that on a flat beach. And then have 11 idiots in the vehicle. No seatbelts, I assume as they're likely aren't enough to eleven.

**Ningi** · 21-04-2009, 12:49 AM

Some of the hire vehicles have bench seats for 5or6 people on each side, so including 2 seats in front you can theoretically have 12 to 14 people but only 2 seat belts, the island is such a beautiful place but every year it seems to get worse, at least it is not like Surfers paradise where the rich drive on the Pavements and 4 weeks of the year the town is filled with a hundred thousand drunken schoolkids!!

Whinge Over

**barbaro** · 21-04-2009, 01:41 AM

Originally Posted by Ningi

Some of the hire vehicles have bench seats for 5or6 people on each side, so including 2 seats in front you can theoretically have 12 to 14 people but only 2 seat belts, the island is such a beautiful place but every year it seems to get worse, at least it is not like Surfers paradise where the rich drive on the Pavements and 4 weeks of the year the town is filled with a hundred thousand drunken schoolkids!!

Whinge Over

The more that buckle up the better, but anyone that could roll a vehicle like that on a beach - a beach.

Is a candidate for the Darwin award.

Retard.

**EmperorTud** · 21-04-2009, 01:53 AM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

I never did work out why Women and Asian are allowed to drive.

They are not in Saudi Arabia. Way ahead out there.

**jim1176** · 21-04-2009, 02:34 AM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Wjhat the beach is like vids.

Nice beach, driver in the vid was using a fair degree of caution

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