Two men dead and a child hospitalised following horror head-on collision on the Bruce Highway

Two men are dead and a child is in hospital after a head-on collision on the Bruce Highway.

Around 8 a.m., a white Hyundai hatchback was traveling south on Bruce Highway near Talia Lane and a white Volkswagen van was traveling north when they collided.

“The driver of the Hyundai, a 43-year-old Kallangur man, suffered critical injuries and died at the scene,” a Queensland Police spokesperson said.

‘The driver of the Volkswagen, a 57-year-old Buddina man, suffered serious injuries and died at the scene.

“The passenger of the Volkswagen, an 11-year-old Buddina boy, suffered injuries and was airlifted to Sunshine Coast University Hospital.”

Inspector Paul Algie told alphabet Police believed the Hyundai had veered onto the wrong side of the road.

He was then involved in a head-on collision with the Volkswagen that was traveling north in a passing lane.

It is the second fatal accident on Queensland roads in 2025, after a 55-year-old man died when his car left the road 45 minutes west of Bundaberg on January 1.

In 2024, Queenslanders suffered the worst year for road deaths in 15 years, with 302 lives lost.

Inspector Algie said the three deaths in as many days in 2025 was a shocking start to the year.

“This is a figure that we did not want to see, it is a very, very worrying statistic,” he said.

“These are three people who will not be at home at the table, with their loved ones, because they simply got into their cars, drove down the highway and met their fate in a series of horrible circumstances.”

The crash caused holiday traffic chaos after the Bruce Highway was closed in both directions for five hours.

It opened shortly before 3:00 p.m.

Police are appealing to anyone who witnessed the crash, or who may have relevant dashcam vision, to come forward.

The Forensic Accident Unit is investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.