Damning reports shows Queensland road toll strategy has crashed

A strategy to slash Australia’s road toll has been declared a failure after a horror start to 2019 after a report reveals a staggering jump in the number of deaths over the past three months.

A STRATEGY to slash Australia’s road toll has been declared a failure after a horror start to 2019.

A report to be released today by the Australian Automobile Association says 332 people died around the nation in the three months to the end of March – a 19 per cent jump on the last quarter of 2018.

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It took the number of lives lost over the past year to 1176 and AAA chief executive Michael Bradley said the deadly reality was that a small improvement last year had been all but reversed.

In 2011, all Australian governments committed to a National Road Safety Strategy target of cutting the road toll by at least 30 per cent by 2020.

“It’s almost certain that the strategy’s road fatality and injury targets cannot be met by the end of 2020 without urgent intervention from government at all levels,” Mr Bradley said.

“It’s clear the strategy is failing, and the nation needs a new approach. Australia’s road toll is a national crisis. Government must act decisively to rectify this ongoing tragedy.”

In 2011, all Australian governments committed to a National Road Safety Strategy target of cutting the road toll by at least 30 per cent by 2020.

In addition to the human cost, road trauma had a $30 billion a year impact on the economy, and directly cost government $3.7 billion.

The annual Queensland toll to the end of March was 231, a 9.8 per cent drop year on year.

And the Sunshine State’s road death rate is the second lowest in the country at 4.57 per 100,000 people.

But the report reveals that 48 more lives would be saved if Queensland could match Victoria’s rate of 3.63 fatalities per 100,000.

RACQ spokesman Paul Turner called for a national road safety entity and dedicated fund to deliver a mass action program of low-cost, high-benefit measures, such as widening roads and white centre lines, more audible strips and clearing verges.

“These are inexpensive measures with proven benefits,” he said.

The AAA said that reducing the average age of Australia’s car fleet by just one year would save 1300 lives over the next 20 years and deliver a $19 billion economic benefit.