18 people killed on Victorian roads not wearing a seatbelt
Police are urging Victorians to end the tragedy of preventable deaths after it was revealed a staggering 18 people who were killed on our roads this year were not wearing a seatbelt.
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A staggering 18 people killed on Victorian roads this year were not wearing a seatbelt.
In 2018, a total of 18 people who were not wearing proper restraints were killed over the whole 12-month period.
If this year’s trend continues, Victoria is on track for its highest count of seatbelt-related fatalities since 2012, when 40 died.
Victoria has seen a horrific surge in the road toll — 114 people have been killed so far this year, compared with 76 at the same point last year.
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Victoria Police is using national Road Safety Week to urge motorists to buckle up and end the tragedy of preventable deaths.
Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane, of road policing command, said there was no doubt seatbelts saved lives.
“If you fail to put one on when you get in the car, you are blatantly putting your life at risk,” he said.
“Unfortunately all too often police have to attend collisions where people haven’t worn their seatbelts.
“Sadly, lives could have been saved if people managed to do this simple task.”
All the seatbelt deaths recorded this year have been of men.
Their ages ranged from 18 to 20 to more than 70, and most were at the wheel.
Road Safety Minister Jaala Pulford said: “It’s deeply concerning that almost 50 years since seatbelts were made mandatory in Victoria we are still seeing such a high number of people being killed, having not buckled up.
“With such a heartbreaking year unfolding on our roads, we really need to be getting the basics right when it comes to road safety.
“And wearing a seatbelt is such a simple way of protecting ourselves.”
Regional accidents make up the biggest share of the road toll, accounting for 72 of the deaths, 13 of which involved a lack of seatbelts.
Transport Accident Commission chief executive Joe Calafiore said thousands of lives had been saved since 1970 laws requiring Victorians to wear seatbelts.
“Something as simple as reaching across and fastening your seatbelt could save police from knocking on the door of your loved ones and telling them you won’t be coming home,” Mr Calafiore said.
“This year has sadly shown us that they remain vital in our goal of eliminating deaths and serious injuries on our roads,” he said.
The government moved on Wednesday morning to announce a road toll summit on May 31, which will bring together experts from the TAC, VicRoads, Victoria Police and the RACV, as well as road trauma researchers and support groups.
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Community roundtables will also be held in regional areas.
“Almost one person a day has died on Victorian roads this year,” Ms Pulford said. “This is heartbreaking and unacceptable.
“Much work is already being done to eliminate road trauma in Victoria but we cannot and will not leave any stone unturned to make our roads safer.”
The TAC has the task of trying to bring the road toll below 200 by the end of 2020.