Separate crashes shut Bruce Hwy both ways at Coochin Creek, Sunshine Coast

Inattentive drivers have caused two crashes involving 15 vehicles that injured nine people — including a woman who is fighting for her life — and closed the Bruce Hwy on the Sunshine Coast for two hours.

Ten vehicles crashed in the southbound lanes at Coochin Creek about 6.30am on Friday.

Police believe the crash was “inadvertently” caused by drivers who had “slowed basically to observe the truck that had pulled over to the side of the road”, Senior Sergeant Brett Young said.

A few minutes later on the other side of the highway, five northbound vehicles including a motorcycle crashed.

“I believe it was in relation to inattention,” Young said.

A woman in her 50s on the motorbike was thrown into a guard rail.

She suffered life-threatening injuries and was flown to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in a critical condition.

She went into surgery at the hospital on Friday, Young said.

Eight more people were taken by ambulance to either Sunshine Coast University Hospital or Caboolture Hospital.

All eight were in a stable condition.

The highway was closed for about two hours in both directions as forensic crash experts investigated the crash.

The damaged cars have been removed from the scene.

Young has urged drivers to “note your surroundings”.

The crashes remain under investigation.