A terrifying chain-reaction crash has left multiple people fighting for their lives after police say a 14-year-old behind the wheel triggered a violent four-car pile-up.
The shocking incident happened around 6:10 p.m. on April 30 along Maryborough-Hervey Bay Road in Queensland, Australia. Authorities say the teen was driving an unregistered, uninsured Mitsubishi Lancer—without a license—when he suddenly lost control.
What happened next unfolded in seconds.
Police say the vehicle swerved into oncoming traffic, slamming into a Suzuki Swift before crashing head-on into a Volkswagen Polo. The impact didn’t stop there—the Polo was then rear-ended by a Hyundai Kona, turning the crash into a chaotic, multi-vehicle disaster.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene and had to cut several victims out of the wreckage.
In total, 10 people were injured, with two left in critical condition.
All four teens inside the Mitsubishi were hurt. A 16-year-old girl suffered serious injuries and had to be airlifted to the hospital, while the 14-year-old driver, another 14-year-old boy, and a second 16-year-old girl were taken in stable condition.
The 18-year-old woman driving the Suzuki was also seriously injured and airlifted for treatment. Her 58-year-old passenger was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
The driver of the Hyundai, a 40-year-old man, along with a 40-year-old woman and a 2-year-old child inside the vehicle, were also transported to the hospital. The 19-year-old driver of the Volkswagen was treated as well.
Investigators believe speed played a major role in the crash, along with the driver’s lack of experience.
Adding to the shock, police say the car belonged to a grandparent and had previously been registered to the mother of one of the teens. Authorities are now working to determine exactly how the young driver got access to the vehicle.
For the local community, the crash has reopened old wounds. The accident happened on the same road where, exactly three years earlier, another teen driving a stolen car caused a crash that killed three people.
Police are now asking anyone with dashcam footage or information to come forward as they continue piecing together what led to this devastating crash.