Coronavirus: Accident death toll far worse than virus

Thirteen medical and transport groups want road safety back on the government’s priority list.

Thirteen leading medical and transport groups want road safety back on the government’s priority list after its own figures showed more people died on the nation’s roads during COVID-19 than from the virus.

Government data from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics shows 92 Australians lost their lives after contracting the virus in March-April while 179 died in road accidents in the same period.

Australian Automobile Association director Michael Bradley on Thursday lashed the government for failing to provide leadership on road safety ahead of a COAG meeting of commonwealth, state and territory transport ministers on Friday, where only 15 minutes have been allocated to discuss the issue. “The absence of that leadership has been magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has demonstrated what can be achieved when the commonwealth government brings states together with a common focus and common sense of urgency,” he said.

A submission from industry groups, including the College of Surgeons, Australasian College of Road Safety and AAA, said the government was aware road trauma was a public health crisis.