Deadly Stuart Highway black spots prompt calls for infrastructure fix

With the NT road toll up a devastating 288 per cent, new research into a decade of crashes has revealed the most dangerous black spots, and the biggest mistakes drivers are making.

The Stuart Hwy has eight of the 10 crash hotspots in the NT. Picture: Che Chorley

Leaving Darwin on the Stuart Hwy is the most dangerous stretch of road in the NT, data analysing a decade of insurance claims has exposed.

The insights have prompted calls for crucial infrastructure investments to kerb this year’s horrific road toll, which has jumped 288 per cent over the past 12 months.

Eight of the top 10 crash hotspots were on the Stuart Hwy, in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, Stuart Park, Adelaide River, Berrimah, Palmerston and Coolalinga.

Tiger Brennan Drive at Berrimah – which is undergoing a multimillion dollar overpass upgrade – was the fifth most dangerous, and the Arnhem Hwy at Humpty Doo was 10th.

Crash Index data shows most dangerous crash hotspots in the NT.

AAMI Crash Index’s Decade of Driving Report found those involved in a crash in the NT were most likely to be men (57 per cent), aged 35 to 44 (26 per cent), be driving in the morning (26 per cent) and on a Friday (15 per cent).

The most common types of claims were collision with a stationary object (27 per cent), accidental damage while parked (23 per cent) and rear-ending (16 per cent).

Crash Index data shows most common mistakes made by Territory drivers.

AANT said the Stuart Hwy being a hotspot came as no surprise, given it was the major route spanning the Territory.

The data aligns with this year’s road fatalities, with 12 of the 50 lives lost occurring on the Stuart Hwy alone.

Simon Matthias AANT

“The Northern Territory is facing an unprecedented road safety crisis,” chief executive Simon Matthias said.

“The fact that eight out of 10 of our top crash hotspots are on the Stuart Hwy, with seven of them being on the 300km section between Darwin and Katherine, raises the question if enough of our road infrastructure spending is being directed to this stretch of road.

“The other alarming NT statistic not mentioned is the number of pedestrians killed on NT roads. We have the highest rate of pedestrian deaths in the country, by a considerable margin, and we need to urgently address this.”

Mr Matthias said it was crucial to gather data that reflected the Territory’s unique challenges and conditions.

For example, with 70 per cent of total road fatalities being males, he said there was an opportunity to focus on targeted messaging for the demographic.

The Indigenous Road Safety Academy said in its NT News opinion piece that the high road toll had to be tackled on multiple fronts.

That included more culturally relevant resources, increased collaboration with local communities, and practical interventions such as high-visibility shirts for people walking at night.