Families of road toll victims mourn the ‘avoidable’ deaths of their loved ones
218 people have died on Victorian roads so far this year, and the state’s top road policing cop warns that more lives will be lost amid the current drug-driving epidemic.
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Another 50 people will lose their lives on our streets before the end of the year.
That’s the stark warning from Victoria’s top road policing cop as the toll surges to a three year high.
This year there have been 218 deaths — four in a 24-hour period to yesterday morning — compared to just 162 at this time last year. An increase of almost 35 per cent year on year.
“That’s how many families have been affected already. We’re likely to have another 50 or so before the end of the year,” Road Safety Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane told the Herald Sun.
“We continue to underestimate the impact of road trauma on our community and on individuals.
“We try and distance ourselves from the reality of it as much as we can.
“We don’t like to think that if we drive our car that somehow we may either be killed or kill someone else.
“When it happens to us or it happens to someone close, the impact can be life longlasting. It can change worlds for people.”
Jacinta Barnett, 19, died in a horrific Oakleigh East smash in September, allegedly caused by a 19-year-old driving at high speed.
Jacinta’s mother Samantha Barnett said she was “still angry” about the circumstances which her daughter lost her life.
“It was so avoidable this accident — all of them are avoidable,” she said.
Adam Boland, 39, his partner Eloise Rigby, 23, and their dog Bella died in a head-on collision at Wunghnu near Shepparton in September.
Adam’s sister Kimberley Brummelen said she was “hurt quite deeply” when their deaths were referred to numbers 183 and 184 in the state’s road toll count.
“Somebody’s life should never just be a number, they meant the world to a lot of people,” Ms Brummelen said.
“It absolutely breaks your heart, we want to remember them for who they were, not just a count in the road toll.”
Mr Leane said while crashes were caused by many factors, drug driving was “the road policing challenge for the next decade”.
“Drugs and driving continues to increase in spite of the fact that we’re increasing the number of people we test.
“You’re more likely to have drugs in your system than alcohol now, sadly, if you’re involved as a driver in a fatal collision.”
He added: “I don’t want to form either a moral or a legal view of whether or not you should take drugs, but as the Assistant Commissioner for Road Policing, what I need you to do is not go near your car if you take drugs.
“You’re just magnifying the opportunities for you to do something terrible to yourself or to some other innocent person.
“They are talking about legalising cannabis.
“We need to not get distracted from the discussion from the impact of taking drugs, whether they become legal or not, and your ability to drive.
“It’s clear that your ability to drive will be affected and it will cause crashes and people will die.”
Mr Leane said breaking the news that someone’s loved one had died in a road accident is one of the hardest and saddest jobs police have to do.
“You feel helpless and try and work your way through. There’s not much you can do for them but you try and do your best. It’s a terrible thing to do.
“The other part then is how you get that family member prepared to then tell their other relatives and friends.
“That’s where the trauma really comes home for them. They have to break news to other siblings or relatives and friends.
“It’s probably the most difficult thing we do in policing.”
In a 24-hour period to yesterday morning, there were four separate fatalities recorded around the state.
GRIEVING LOVED ONES
Every victim of a fatal road accident leaves behind families, friends and colleagues who are left to pick up the pieces of a shattered world and who will never hug their loved one again.
Grandparents, children, mothers and fathers are among the 215 people have died on Victorian roads this year.
Shannon Juriansz, 21 and Jacinta Barnett, 19, died in a horrific Oakleigh East smash in September, allegedly caused by a 19-year-old driving at high speed.
Shannon’s uncle Elsworth Juriansz said the sudden death had a “big impact” on the family.
“I want to see kids do the right speed, to take more care on the road,” he said.
“If you speed, you’re a bloody idiot. Some people are not getting that message.
“It is just one careless mistake, the impact on families will take years for us to recover. It is so sad to lose someone.”
Shannon’s family and friends gathered at the site of the crash on Saturday with placards pushing for drivers to obey speed limits.
Another 18-year-old male was critically injured in the crash and faces a long road to recovery.
He is one of the thousands of victims of road trauma who suffer life changing injuries on our roads.
From April 1 last year to March 31 this year, close to 8000 claims involving hospitalisation were logged with the TAC.
Lilydale women Shannon Lowden, 21, was found dead beside her boyfriend Callum Forbes, 22, following a tragic 4WD accident in West Gippsland in September.
“A bit of fun cost them the ultimate price,” devastated mum Debbie Lowden said.
“Young people think they are invincible.
“They think ‘nothing’s gonna hurt me’. Well, it might.”
Her daughter was one of 56 females who have died on the roads this year, compared with 161 males. The gender of one death is still unknown.
Colin Waters, 49, was cycling to work in July when he was hit by a driver in Taylors Lakes who was allegedly fatigued at the wheel.
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His heartbroken brother Steve said his death was “completely preventable” and that Colin had left behind a wife and two teenage sons.
“It was absolutely needless, the impact is massive,” brother Steve Waters said.
“He was the father of two boys, he was the main income winner. It is devastating.”
LIVES LOST
January 1 2019 up to and including October 14 2019
TOTAL LIVES LOST
2019 - 218
2018 - 160
2017 - 192
2016 - 224
2015 - 198
2014 - 195
TYPE OF ROAD USER
DRIVER - 91
PASSENGER - 42
PEDESTRIAN - 41
MOTORBIKE - 36
CYCLIST - 8
BY LOCATION
MELBOURNE - 96
RURAL - 122
BY AGE GROUP
0 to 4 - 1
5 to 15 - 5
16 to 17 - 5
18 to 20 - 20
21 to 25 - 20
26 to 29 - 15
30 to 39 - 23
40 to 49 - 25
50 to 59 - 27
60 to 69 - 27
70+ - 49
unknown - 1