Carlos Marti, a Concrete Agitator Driver in Boral’s Concrete and Quarries North team, was recently recognised with the 2025 STAAR Safety Award (Individual) for his extraordinary actions during a terrifying roadside incident in Queensland’s Wide Bay region.

Carlos was travelling between Agnes Water and Colosseum when his routine drive took a dramatic turn. As he rounded a blind bend, a vehicle suddenly appeared on the wrong side of the road. In that split second, Carlos reacted with the skill and instinct of an experienced Boral driver—slamming on the brakes and steering his agitator toward the edge of the road, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision.

The oncoming car clipped the driver’s side of the agi, launched into the air, flipped, and landed on the opposite side of the road. Despite the impact, Carlos kept his vehicle upright. But the danger was far from over.

Carlos ran to the wreck. Inside the overturned car, he found a panicked driver and two small children strapped in the back seat. The situation escalated quickly.

“My kids are in the back and the car is on fire,” the driver shouted.

Carlos sprinted back to his truck, grabbed a fire extinguisher, and returned to the burning vehicle. As flames rose, he worked to put out the fire and pry open the door. He managed to get the children out safely—both were in shock and had minor injuries, one with a cut above the eye, the other with a cut on the lip.

Carlos flagged down another vehicle for help and continued negotiating with the driver, who was resisting and searching for their phone. With the extinguisher emptied and the risk of another fire growing, Carlos was already planning how to break the rear window if needed. Eventually, the driver agreed to cooperate and was removed from the vehicle.

Emergency services soon arrived and took over. It was later revealed the driver had likely fallen asleep at the wheel after several hours on the road and was suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Reflecting on the event, Carlos said:

“In a way it was quite lucky that I was the vehicle she came across that day. As a agi driver, you are trained to react quickly. Another driver might not have responded in the same way.”

“That day everything felt like it happened in slow motion, but in real time it all happened in a split second. On roads like the ones we take, you need to be constantly on your guard.”

Carlos’s calm response and courage not only prevented a major tragedy but saved the lives of two young children. His actions exemplify Boral’s commitment to safety—both on and off site—and earned him national recognition at the STAAR Awards, where more than 180 entries were received from across the country.

“As a heavy vehicle driver you always need to stay calm so you can react and deal with the situation. You are always wary, and trying to anticipate and watch other people, their facial reactions and head movements.”

Carlos may not think of himself as a hero, but on that day, he truly was one.