New car crash testing and road safety bodies demand road toll attention from PM
ANCAP, Australian Automobile Association (AAA) and the Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) have released a joint statement calling on newly re-elected Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to address Australia’s increasing rod toll figures.
Year-to-date records show Australia’s road toll has increased by 10% over the same period in 2015. The peak body and non-profit organisations have banded together in asking for a dedicated Road Safety Minister from the Prime Minister.
Data released from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) show in the year to June 2016, 643 deaths have occurred on Australian roads – that’s 63 more than in the same period the year prior. The 2015 period saw an increase of 56 deaths over the 2014 period – that’s two consecutive years of increased fatalities.
In the last 12 months to June 2016 there were 1269 road deaths, an increase of 8.5 per cent. Topping the state tolls was NSW with 200 people were killed in the year to June 2016, while Victoria trailed on 151, both of which were increases of 24.2 (39 deaths) and 15.3 per cent (20 deaths) respectively. Tasmania and WA also saw increases of 46.7 (7 in total) and 11.4 per cent (9 in total).
“Australia’s National Road Safety Strategy, signed by all Australian governments aims to reduce the number of road deaths and trauma by 30 per cent between 2010 and 2020,” said AAA Chief Executive Michael Bradley. “Clearly we are heading in the wrong direction and there is the need for the Federal Government to lead in the development of policies to deliver safer drivers, safer cars, and safer roads.”
ANCAP CEO James Goodwin said reducing the road toll needs all parties involved, not just the lobby groups.
“Vehicles safety is a vital element of the road safety solution and we need national leadership across all areas of road safety if we are to see a reversal in the number of lives lost on our roads.”
Lauchlan McIntosh, ACRS president, said the state-based road laws and systems need unity in order to bring the numbers down.
“Aside from the very personal impact road trauma has on families and first responders, it is estimated to cost the national economy more than $27 billon per year,” he said. “This is a national social and economic crisis which requires a cooperative effort from all governments under strong national leadership.”
The Australian Health Institute of Health and Welfare states that land-based transport crashes are the number one factor killing children up to 14 years of age, is the second biggest killer of ages 15 – 24 years old, and for 25 – 44-year-olds it is the third biggest factor.
