<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One of the nation's </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bruce-highway-named-one-of-the-most-dangerous-roads-in-the-country/2e796093-47f7-472f-96ac-8cb9b82b3f58" rel="" target="" title="deadliest roads "><span>deadliest roads</span></a><span> will be given a major safety overhaul if Labor is re-elected at the federal election.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Labor's $7.2 billion scheme would see more of the Bruce Highway, which stretches for 1673km in Queensland, finally given a long awaited upgrade.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The road connects Brisbane with Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/entertainment/nikki-glaser-golden-globes-monologue/ec3d923a-ef7e-4a8b-a4e2-5b913a513710"><strong><span>'Welcome to the 82nd Golden Globes, Ozempic's biggest night'</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>More than 40 people were killed on the stretch in 2024, with the average number of deaths and serious injuries up to five times higher than on any major highway in New South Wales or Victoria.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two people have already been killed this year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sections north of Gympie will be the first to have work done.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/bruce-highway-queensland-upgrade-election/a71704c6-9d57-4349-a42a-4d68f03ea0d8" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The plan is Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's first major funding announcement ahead of this year's election.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is due to be held no later than May 17.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said 62 per cent of Queenslanders use the stretch of road.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The figures are quite horrific. 41 fatalities on the Bruce Highway in 2024," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's been two fatalities already in an accident this year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That's why this is a priority.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's a dangerous piece of highway and it needs upgrading."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/weather-australia-sydney-heat-nsw/fbb95126-1e38-49e5-ba70-e049fe2ea6a4"><strong><span>Sydney heatwave ends, with storms, rain on the way</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The federal government would cover 80 per cent of the cost, with the state paying the other 20 per cent. Usually the split is 50/50.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said the plan would save lives,</span></div></div><div class="styles__Wrapper-sc-2o34ro-0 cmwkBV"><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><a href="/content/2024/09/18/08/29/car-crash-hotspots-around-australia"><img alt="A three-year-old passenger has been killed in a crash in Rosedale, Queensland." sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 636px, (min-width: 768px) 396px, 100vw" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/-Zu7rH21rORTV9iGS0gUV_87mPI=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fd89987d6-fc8c-4658-bb61-18df189c83fd" srcset="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/-Zu7rH21rORTV9iGS0gUV_87mPI=/396x223/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fd89987d6-fc8c-4658-bb61-18df189c83fd 396w, https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/G4zwXSywTzznhDWyrQpiGyCO7Qw=/636x358/https%3A%2F%2Fprod.static9.net.au%2Ffs%2Fd89987d6-fc8c-4658-bb61-18df189c83fd 636w"/></a></div><div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"><div class="styles__Headline-sc-2o34ro-4 hpbOlz">The biggest crash hotspots around Australia</div><div class="styles__Button-sc-2o34ro-1 eBjlmW"><a class="styles__ButtonLink-sc-2o34ro-2 hqpklJ" href="/content/2024/09/18/08/29/car-crash-hotspots-around-australia">View Gallery</a></div></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We know that too many people lost their lives on the Bruce Highway last year," King told </span><em><span>Today.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In particular, unfortunately we have seen an increase in fatal accidents on this road, particularly that stretch from Gympie onwards."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Queensland Ambulance Service's Wayne Sachs from Gympie who has worked for 50 years along the road had been lobbying for change since 2009.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said while lives have already been saved by improvements already been made in his area, more are needed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The fatalities have stopped, They've saved countless lives," Sachs said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>'What they're doing by doing this is just amazing. They're going to be saving literally thousands of lives."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In September data from AAMI revealed the most notorious hotspots for crashes across the country, with the Bruce Highway taking third place.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One of the road's most recent </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/bus-crash-queensland-police-investigate/950cbab4-58fe-44f3-8914-288290f6b757" rel="" target="" title="deadly crashes killed three people on a Greyhound bus."><span>deadly crashes killed three people on a Greyhound bus.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The crash happened near the Wilson Creek Rest Area on the Bruce Highway at Gumlu, south of Townsville last winter.</span></div></div>