Rural doctors are urging Australians to take extra care this Easter, warning the long weekend often brings a spike in serious injuries presented at regional, rural, and remote hospitals.
ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says Rural Generalists regularly see an increase in accidents during holiday weekends, placing additional pressure on clinics and rural hospitals operating with limited staff.
“While many Australians are enjoying time with family and friends over Easter, Rural Generalists remain on call and ready to respond when accidents and illnesses occur,” Dr Martin says.
“Long weekends can bring a mix of travel, farm work, outdoor activities and celebrations - all of which can increase the risk of injury.”
Road crashes remain a major contributor to trauma during holiday periods. In 2024, 28 people died on Australian roads during the five-day Easter period, significantly higher than the five-year average of 18 deaths.
“Rural Generalists are often the doctors providing the first critical care, stabilising patients and coordinating emergency retrievals.
“Those first minutes and hours can be incredibly important.”
Farm accidents are another common source of serious injuries over Easter, particularly in rural communities where children are home for the school holidays.
“Farm work never stops, “Dr Martin says, “and the Easter holidays often mean children are spending more time around farm vehicles and machinery.
“Quad bikes, tractors and other heavy equipment can cause devastating injuries if something goes wrong.”
“Many of the trauma cases Rural Generalists treat during long weekends are preventable and simply shouldn’t happen,” he says.
“A moment’s distraction around machinery or a decision to keep driving while fatigued can have life-changing consequences.”
Dr Martin says simple precautions can help Australians enjoy the Easter break safely.
“That means driving to the conditions, avoiding fatigue, supervising children around vehicles and machinery, and being diligent when using farm equipment,” he says.
“Rural Generalists will always be there when people need us - but the best outcome is when preventable injuries never happen in the first place.”