THE Stanthorpe community is in shock after the loss of two drivers who were killed in separate car accidents in the area.

One of the drivers was Pikedale resident Clayton Howard, who died when his ute overturned near a bridge on the Stanthorpe/Texas Rd.

The accident happened at Pikedale, west of Stanthorpe, on the night of November 5.

A Queensland Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said they received the call at 11.10pm and units from Stanthorpe and Wallangarra responded.

The QFRS heavy rescue vehicle from Toowoomba was called to travel to the scene but was turned around before reaching the Granite Belt.

Mr Howard's brother Grant said Clayton was a hard worker who was self employed as a firewood and timber cutter.

"He was a keen fisherman who did lots of fishing with his partner Nicole," Grant said.

There was a lot of surf fishing during holidays at Ballina and fishing in rivers, especially at Goondiwindi and St George.

"He just loved fishing, that was what he wanted to do," Grant said.

The son of Greg and Evelyn Howard and father of Brock Howard, Clayton played rugby league for the Stanthorpe Gremlins and Wallangarra Rams and was a cricket all-rounder for RSL and Souths.

He was in a Gremlins team that made the A-grade grand final but missed the game of the year with an injured ankle.

Clayton was a multiple winner of ribbons in chainsaw racing, competing at several shows and events in the area.

Grant Howard said Clayton was a down-to-earth bloke and hard worker who accepted life as it was.

"He didn't carry grudges," Grant said.

"Clayton got on with life and did what he had to do."

He loved blue cattle dogs, especially Junior who was with Clayton in the front seat of his ute when the accident happened.

The family found Junior 18km from the accident at 11am.

"Junior was his best mate," Clayton said.

Police are continuing their investigations into the cause of the accident.

Earlier on the Saturday morning, a Victorian man died when the car he was driving left the road near Dalveen and hit a tree.

The 54-year-old had been travelling south along the New England Hwy, and was the sole occupant in the red Suzuki Swift sedan when it left the road.

Police investigations into the cause of that crash are also continuing, but early indications are that fatigue could have been a factor.

The accident was reported by another driver about 5.30am.

The man was pronounced dead when emergency crews arrived on the scene at 6am.

The two fatal accidents on the Southern Downs were among seven in Queensland in a tragic weekend on the state's roads.