Senior NT Police officer bemoans 2024 road fatalities

The Territory is on track to record its worse road fatality numbers in more than a decade, a senior NT Police officer has confirmed.

Commander Danny Bacon fronted the media to discuss the Territory's 2024 road fatalities. Picture: Harry Brill.

Despite greater police presence and resources, the Territory is projected to have its worst road fatality record in more than a decade, after another two lives were tragically lost over the weekend.

On Saturday morning, a 22 year-old driver was killed in Central Australia when his car rolled on Larapinta Drive, ejecting the man from the vehicle.

Later that day in the Top End, a 65-year-old man was killed when he came off his motorcycle on Litchfield Park Rd.

On Monday, NT Police confirmed the latest deaths brought the Territory’s total fatalities to 30 lives lost on the road so far in 2024 – compared to six lives lost at the same time in 2023.

At a press conference in Darwin, Commander Danny Bacon said the shocking numbers had been avoidable.

“We had a total of 31 (lives lost) in 2023, so it’s quite horrific considering all these lives lost are preventable,” he said.

“The majority of the lives lost on across Northern Territory roads are through the fatal five – (such as) speeding, alcohol, drug use, not wearing a seatbelt.”

NT Police responded to a hit and run in Leanyer on June 13, 2024, in which two pedestrians were taken to hospital. One of the pedestrians died days later after succumbing to their injuries. Picture: George Yankovich

Commander Bacon said 2024 was on track to become one of the Territory’s worst road fatality years.

“Our highest loss of life was back in 1987 when I joined the job and that was 84 lives lost back then,” he said.

“In more recent times – probably 2008 – it was 75 (lives lost), we’re (currently) on a trajectory to reach those significant numbers.”

Asked why there had been a sharp rise in road fatalities, Commander Bacon said road users had been observed to be taking “more risks” in getting to their destinations.

“I’m not sure in regards to why we’re seeing those numbers here, but there a lot more risks being taken by road users,” he said.

“Police are around the roads a lot more these days, a lot more random breath testing, and a lot more speed detection, so it’s not a case of police aren’t out there doing enforcement.

“It just appears that members of the public are taking more risks to the fatal five and, unfortunately, we’re seeing that correspond with our lives lost on the roads.”

Commander Bacon says NT Police will have a greater presence on the roads throughout the school holidays.

Commander Bacon said fatalities involving alcohol and drug involvement, pedestrians, and Indigenous road users had also increased in 2024.

As the Territory heads into school holidays, Commander Bacon confirmed police presence on the roads had been bolstered.

“Our goal is to get out there and make sure that we’re testing our community in regards to drugs and alcohol, so you will see police out there more often,” he said.

“It’s school holidays as well at the moment so you’ll see officers not just in urban settings but around regional and remote locations as well.”