Queensland Police data shows more people have died on Sunshine Coast roads in the past eight months than in any single year since 2018.
A 22-year-old Gympie man who died in a single vehicle crash west of Noosa overnight was the 20th person to die on the region's roads in 2022.
The current road toll is double the 2021 figures for the same period, and four times the same period in 2019.
Comparatively, 14 people died during the whole of 2018, 12 in 2019, 17 in 2020 and 16 in 2021.
Senior Sergeant Shane Panoho of Sunshine Coast Traffic Police said the state was on track to record the largest number of road deaths since the 1980s.
"If we keep going this way, it's going to be our worst road toll for a number of years," Senior Sergeant Panoho said.
"So we haven't had a road toll over 300 deaths since the 80s but at this stage, that's the way we're trending.
"We are seeing people taking too many risks and putting themselves in jeopardy on a daily basis."
Senior Sergeant Panoho said his traffic officers went to most of the crashes and saw the grief of loved ones first hand.
"We have had parents that have turned up and you can see the loss and the grief in their eyes," he said.
"[They are] told by us that their loved one has passed in circumstances where it should never have happened."
'One mistake away' from death
Two people have died on Sunshine Coast roads since Monday when local police urged residents to take care for the start of Road Safety Week.
Acting Inspector John Mahony urged people to take their safety seriously.
"If you've got a mobile phone in the vehicle don't use it whilst you're driving, if you're tired don't drive, don't pass another vehicle in a dangerous situation, take your time and wait for a safe situation," Acting Inspector John Mahony said.
He said police were most concerned about the actions of motorcyclists after a number of recent offences.
"Approximately 25 per cent of all road deaths throughout the state are motorcycle-related," he said.
"They think they're infallible but they're only one mistake or one pothole away from serious injury or death."
Police bike's close call
Several motorcyclists have been charged for excessive speeding, among other offences, in the past month.
A group of four motorcyclists was fined more than $3,000 after they were caught by a major police operation across the Sunshine Coast hinterland on the weekend.
Footage released by police shows one of the riders allegedly swerving on to the wrong side of the road and into the path of a patrol bike.
Police alleged the four men, aged between 30 and 49, each rode at least 30 kilometres an hour over the speed limit, and two of them allegedly attempted to flee from police.
A 32-year-old Kings Beach man and 30-year-old Mapleton man were both charged with dangerous operation with excessive speed and evading police, and are due to face court in Caloundra next month.
"The message doesn't seem to sink in," Acting Inspector John Mahony said.
Last month, three motorcyclists who allegedly filmed themselves speeding through the Sunshine Coast hinterland were charged by police.
Police say a 45-year-old man set up a camera on his motorbike last month to film himself and two other riders at Peachester, travelling at more than 140 kph, while overtaking vehicles.
Police alleged at one point a rider's bike reached 192 kph near Kilcoy-Beerwah Road.
Two of the men have been charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle and will face court next week. The third man was handed a speeding infringement notice.
