Northern Territory road toll: Selfish reasons why motorists put others at risk
A cavalier attitude could be behind road deaths, with new research revealing the rules broken and excuses Territorians use.
Northern Territory
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Lead-footed motorists are ruling the roads with four out of five drivers admitting to speeding.
And surprisingly, women dominated the category with 81 per cent of female drivers admitting to speeding, compared to 75 per cent of men.
New research by The Australian Road Safety Foundation suggests Australia’s cavalier attitude to road safety could be responsible for countless unnecessary deaths.
More than 1100 people lost their lives on Australia’s road in 2020, with 31 people dying on Northern Territory roads.
Of the NT drivers surveyed, more than half (57 per cent) admitted to breaking a road rule, with speeding by far the most common offence (43 per cent). Jay-walking and driving under the influence of drugs were the next most common offences.
As to the excuse for why NT road users flouted the law?
Inattention was the reason given by one third of respondents (29 per cent), while a third cited the misconception that it was safe to do so (29 per cent).
But the difference between life and death on our roads, can be little more than a split-second.
Three-time V8 Supercar champion and seven-winner of the Bathurst 1000 winner, Craig Lowndes has experienced those dangers first-hand.
“I know better than most the dangers of a high-powered vehicle, and cannot stress enough that the road is not a racetrack. There is no excuse for dangerous driving no matter what the driving conditions may look like,” Mr Lowndes said.
“The stark reality is that any time you take a risk behind the wheel, you are putting the lives of every motorist, passenger, cyclist and pedestrian around you at risk. Together, we can save precious lives on our roads.”
In fact, despite the widely-held perception that drivers make up the majority of road fatalities, more than half of those who died on NT roads in 2020 were passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
It’s a sobering statistic, particularly as increasing numbers of Australians are now embracing road trips and domestic holidaying in the wake of COVID-19 border restrictions.
In fact, since domestic restrictions have lifted more than half NT drivers (57 per cent) said they have made long distance journeys.
The Australian Road Safety Foundation conducted its research as part of its Fatality Free Friday campaign.
“Individuals have a responsibility to make the right choices when using the roads and it is imperative they understand the devastating consequences their choices can have not just on other road users, but on the wider community,” Australian Road Safety Foundation CEO and fonder Russell White said.
“That’s why this year we’re working to increase awareness of the devastating domino effect of road trauma beyond fatalities. The impact of road trauma is far-reaching and does not discriminate. Road users also need to understand the impact on families, friends, schools, workplaces, first responders and emergency services.”
The target is to have zero road deaths on Fatality Free Friday on 28 May and instil long-term community change.
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