Woman photographed driving at 110km/h while texting wasn't wearing a seatbelt 'because of whiplash caused by crashing her car when she fell ASLEEP at the wheel'

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A woman who was photographed sending a text message on her phone while driving 110km/h on a busy highway wasn't wearing a seat belt because of 'whiplash' she suffered in a previous crash in which she fell asleep at the wheel. 

The 19-year-old woman was snapped driving on the Bruce Highway on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, glued to her phone and appearing to steer with her knees.

Katherine Carter, 37, who took the photo on Sunday, posted it to Facebook with the message: 'I have just seen this driving at 110km/h driving down the Bruce Highway in heavy traffic and wet roads. One of the most stupid and reckless things I have ever seen.'

The sister of a 19-year-old woman caught texting and appearing to use her knees to steer while driving at 110km/h on the Bruce Highway in Queensland has spoken about her concerns for the family's safety

The woman's sister has now revealed the 19-year-old has since received a barrage of abuse on social media and now fears for her safety.

While she admitted her sister's actions had been 'stupid', she said she is recovering from an accident in which she nearly died three months ago, Sunshine Coast Daily reported

The crash left with 'really bad whiplash' which meant she couldn't wear a seat belt, the sister said.  

'We are scared for her, that one day we will hear she has had an accident and hasn't woken up,' she said. 

But she conceded that her sister's recklessness could put her family at risk, including the driver's young child, who was not in the car at the time. 

Mrs Carter, 37, added: 'I see other people texting, driving and swerving all over the road all the time'

 The woman who took the photograph, who owns a Century 21 real estate branch in Caloundra, said this is just one of many incidents of negligent driving she has witnessed during her time on the road for her job.

'I see other people texting, driving and swerving all over the road all the time,' the 37-year-old said.

'I took the photo to highlight just how dangerous it is and people need to be aware of what they're doing. 

'Not only could they kill themselves, but they could kill someone else - it's not right.'

In the last five years, there have been 145 charges laid of dangerous driving occasioning death in Queensland, and 138 deaths.

The number is dropping though. In 2005, 42 people were killed, compared to 11 in 2015.  

Mrs Carter (right) and her husband Luke (left) own a real estate agency in Caloundra, and pride themselves on being safe drivers