Coronavirus: road toll efforts on the path to failure

Despite a dramatic reduction in traffic due to the coronavirus ­crisis, efforts to reduce Australia’s road toll have stalled.

Michael Bradley says governments have shown during the pandemic that consistent data could be collected and reported in real time. Picture: Sean Davey

Despite a dramatic reduction in traffic due to the coronavirus ­crisis, efforts to reduce Australia’s road toll have stalled.

But the peak motoring body says it is hopeful the government response to COVID-19 will be a model for future health and ­safety challenges.

An Australian Automobile Association report shows progress to decrease the number of road fatalities has come to a standstill, with 1154 lives lost in the 12 months to March — only seven fewer than the year before.

Some states recorded big ­increases, including South Australia, where the number was up 27.5 per cent; Tasmania, up 23.3 per cent; and Victoria, up 11.5 per cent. AAA managing ­director ­Michael Bradley said the data showed that prior to the COVID-19 travel restrictions, no states were on track to meet end-of-year reduction targets.

However, the AAA was confident the collective response of governments to the coronavirus provided “real hope”.

“The commonwealth government’s own independent report confirmed successive federal governments had not provided sufficiently strong leadership, co-ordination or advocacy on road safety to drive down ­national death and injury rates on our roads,” Mr Bradley said.

“Pleasingly, the first steps to turn that around have started with the creation of a national Office of Road Safety. We have seen during COVID-19 what can be achieved when there is co-operation and a laser-focus on tackling serious health issues.”

Mr Bradley said in almost a decade, collective road safety targets had rarely been measured, including the number of crashes or serious injuries.

He said governments had shown during the pandemic that consistent data could be collected and reported in real time.

“Australians will readily change their practices when governments demonstrate and communicate urgency,” he said.