NT road safety: With 18 dead on local roads in 2024 so far, Easter looms as potential flashpoint

With 18 already dead on Territory roads in 2024 – six times more than the same time last year, and a spike in pedestrian deaths – emergency services have spread the road safety gospel this long weekend.

St John NT director of ambulance services Andrew Thomas and NT Police Road Safety Division Superintendent Daniel Shean speaking about Easter road safety, March 28, 2024. Picture: Alex Treacy

With 18 now dead on Territory roads in 2024 – six times more than the same time last year – emergency services bosses are urging motorists to beware the ‘fatal five’.

NT Police Road Safety Division Superintendent Daniel Shean and St John NT Director of Ambulance Services Andrew Thomas said there would be a high presence of police and paramedic crews this long weekend amid a surge in holiday travel.

Their message came hours before a horror afternoon and night on Territory roads, with two men dying in a crash in Kakadu National Park on Thursday afternoon, and a female pedestrian losing her life at Nhulunbuy on Good Friday.

Their deaths bring the current 2024 death toll to 18.

Speaking to media earlier on Thursday afternoon, while the death toll was still at 15, Superintendent Shean said the 2024 road toll had shocked police.

“So far this year, 15 lives have been lost on our roads,” he said.

“This time last year, there were three lives lost on our roads.

“The causal factors of fatalities continues to be drink and drug driving, speeding and failing to wear a seatbelt.

“This weekend the Territory Road Safety Division will be focusing on targeting the fatal five: speeding, alcohol and drugs, failing to wear a seatbelt, fatigue, and driver distraction.”

Superintendent Shean said the latter loomed large, particularly in urban areas such as Darwin and Palmerston, amid a worrying surge in pedestrian deaths this year.

NT Police have confirmed the 77-year-old driver of a utility vehicle has lost his life after a horror two-vehicle collision on the Stuart Highway at Palmerston on March 10. Picture: Supplied

“I can’t remember exactly but I think it’s four or five of them lost on our roads to a pedestrian strike so far,” he said.

“And that’s what I say in the urban settings use caution because people will walk out onto the road at any time.”

Superintendent Shean, who promised his officers would be performing a wealth of roadside alcohol and drug testing over the long weekend, said the deployment of 58 police officers to Alice Springs in response to the township’s descent into anarchy would not affect his division’s resourcing.

Mr Thomas, the Territory’s senior ambulance officer, said his crews would be on the road 24/7 over the long weekend and “available to respond to all incidents”.

“When you’re travelling with family and friends to locations to enjoy the weekend, whether they are boating, fishing or just visiting people, take the time to get there,” he said.

“Plan your drive and arrive alive.

“We want people to actually enjoy Easter this weekend.

“Our crews unfortunately have been to too many fatality accidents in the last year.”

Outside of road safety, he urged Territorians with illnesses that were not an emergency to use resources such as the free healthdirect hotline or bulk-billed urgent care clinics at Palmerston and Alice Springs in order to keep ambulance resources free for life-endangering emergencies.