Automobile Association of the Northern Territory pleas government for safer roads

The Automobile Association of the Northern Territory has made a plea to the Territory and Federal government for action on reducing the road toll.

NEW figures show the Northern Territory has again ranked worst in the nation for road deaths per 100,000 people, as authorities brace for the chance of more horror to marr the festive season.

The Automobile Association of the Northern Territory (AANT) has written to Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Minister Eva Lawler, urging her to take action to prevent further senseless deaths on the Territory’s roads.

In the letter sent to Ms Lawler and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, AANT chief executive Anthony Hill called on both levels of government to take further steps to amend the Draft National Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan, to enshrine more ambitious aims for road safety.

Mr Hill said he wanted the plan to be amended so that a “decrease in road death figures within the Northern Territory is assured”.

Ms Lawler said the NT government had introduced new legislation and millions in road upgrades to address the issue.

“We are doing everything we can to raise awareness of road safety in the Territory and it’s important to remember that every person whose life is taken or impacted by road trauma belongs to a family, a community, a school group, a sporting group,” she said.

“This government is also rolling out $300 million worth of road safety upgrades on our roads.

“Upgrades being delivered include shoulder widening, truck bays, culvert extensions, variable message signage, intersection upgrades and shared paths.

Ms Lawler said a national response would be provided but was postponed after Mr Joyce contracted Covid.

Data provided to the NT News by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) show there were 35 deaths on the Territory’s roads in the 12 months to November 2021.

The new campaign, being led by the AAA across the country, aims for state and federal governments to take more action to improve safety on our roads.

The association is raising awareness of the issue leading into the festive season, when families are torn apart by crashes that claim lives or leave loved ones with lifelong physical and psychological scars.

AAA managing director Michael Bradley said Australia’s road toll had worsened despite Covid-19 restrictions, lockdowns and fewer cars on the road.

“National road trauma data collection and reporting remains shambolic, and ministers considering Australia’s overdue National Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, need to prioritise this issue”, Mr Bradley said.

“Road trauma has killed more than 1000 Australians every year since 1935, however national data coordination problems continue to thwart evidence-based policy and well-targeted funding.”

The campaign is being spearheaded by the NRMA, RACV, RACQ, RAA, RAC, RACT and the AANT.

Follow @thomasmorgan22