A traffic controller is fighting for his life after he was hit by a car while on the job.
Michael De Voss, a 69-year-old traffic controller with AVADA Group, was working a night shift on Friday when he was setting up a closed lane for a Brisbane City Council worksite.
While placing traffic cones on the busy Kelvin Grove Road at about 1.40am, Mr Voss struck down by a driver.
Emergency services, including paramedics, attended the crash site where they found Mr Voss in a serious condition.
He was rushed to Royal Brisbane Hospital with life-threatening injuries including a serious head injury, a fractured hip, broken ribs, a broken collar bone and a broken leg.
Doctors placed him in an induced coma to stabilise him before spending hours in surgery working on his multiple injuries.
A friend of Mr Voss told Daily Mail Australia he has since regained consciousness but is not talking and is on a ventilator to help with his breathing.
A GoFundMe campaign was set up to help Mr Voss, who is known as ‘Vossey’ by his colleagues and friends, with medical expenses and his long road to recovery.
Michael De Voss, 69, is fighting for his life after a car ploughed into him while he was setting up traffic cones on a council worksite
Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) for Queensland and the Northern Territory shared the horrific incident to its Facebook page and claimed the crash was a result of ‘safety oversights’ at Brisbane City Council
‘Vossey is not only a work colleague, he has become like family to a lot of traffic controllers,’ the fund reads.
‘His love for the job and his kind, quirky and positive attitude is something you notice straight away when you meet Vossey.
‘After this accident there is going to be a long road to recovery and he will need support along the way.
‘As many traffic controllers can tell you, if you don’t work you don’t get paid, this will be the case for Vossey.’
At the time of writing, the fund had received 21 donations totalling $1,890, with a goal of raising $50,000.
CFMEU Queensland and Northern Territory Offsite Coordinator Blake Hynes said the crash was the second safety incident involving a Queensland council controller in the past month.
‘The traffic controller was setting up a busy, multi-lane road on his own. Under the regulations, he should have had the support of at least one other worker and a ute to provide an extra layer of protection,’ he wrote.
‘This incident illustrates why traffic control is one of the most dangerous jobs.
‘What might seem like a small error by management can lead to a major injury for the worker – or even a fatality.’
Mr Hynes added the incident was ‘preventable’ and was a result of safety oversights by management at Brisbane City Council’s asphalt services.
‘The CFMEU is calling for all outdoor council workers across Queensland to be treated with the same dignity and respect as the indoor workers,’ Mr Hynes wrote.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Brisbane City Council for comment.
Queensland Police told Daily Mail Australia an investigation into the exact circumstances of the crash was ongoing.
‘The driver of the vehicle, a 70-year-old man, was taken to Royal Brisbane Hospital as a precaution. The vehicle was towed,’ a Queensland Police spokesperson said.
A colleague of Mr Voss, who requested anonymity, told Daily Mail Australia that safety standards for traffic controllers were being compromised.
‘Mr Voss]is a close friend to us and it’s horrible to see his situation because we’re all traffic controllers and it could have been any one of us at any time,’ they said.
It comes after the Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison published a report on October 1 about the significant safety risks faced by traffic controllers in Australia.
The report, which was on behalf of the Traffic Management Association of Australia, highlighted data from the 2024 National Traffic Controller Safety Survey, which surveyed more than 1,500 traffic controllers from across the country.
The survey found workers experienced verbal abuse, non-compliance with basic traffic controller instructions and near misses while on the job.
More than half of the respondents, or 53 per cent, reported vehicles had failed to stop at traffic control sites at least once a week.
A recent survey into traffic controller safety found more than half of respondents reported being nearly struck by a car driven by a distracted driver, while 44 per cent reported experiencing a near miss with a speeding vehicle
In the last 12 months, 49 per cent of respondents reported nearly being struck by a vehicle driven by a distracted driver.
Meanwhile, 44 per cent of traffic controllers reported experiencing near misses with speeding cars.
Traffic Management Association of Australia President John Cassel said the report was a ‘stark reminder’ of the dangers traffic controllers face everyday while at work.
‘Their commitment to keeping our roads safe is unwavering, and they deserve our respect, support, and the safest possible working conditions,’ Mr Cassel said.
‘We need a collective effort to address the issues highlighted in this report and to ensure that traffic controllers can do their work without fear for their safety.’
‘We all have the right to return home safe, every day.’
