Coronavirus: Jump in regional fatalities drives home the road safety message

Road toll figures have continued to jump, with a 12.9 spike in fatalities in the September quarter as people returned to the roads.

The Australian Automobile Association has released data showing motorists were almost five times more likely to die on regional roads compared to city roads. Picture: Jason O'Brien

Coalition seats in regional Australia have recorded the highest road death rates across the country, with 85 per cent of the top 20 deadliest federal electorates held by Liberal and Nationals MPs.

The Australian Automobile Association, representing major motoring bodies including the NRMA, RACV and RACQ, has released data showing motorists were almost five times more likely to die on regional roads compared to city roads.

Road toll figures have continued to jump, with a 12.9 spike in fatalities in the September quarter as people returned to the roads following the lifting of COVID-19 movement restrictions.

In response to the road toll, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack announced a $2bn funding injection in the October budget to support his aim of zero fatalities and serious injuries by 2050. The federal government’s national road safety strategy outlining a 10-year plan to drive down road fatalities, prepared in conjunction with the states and territories, will be released early next year.

AAA managing director Michael Bradley said that “when it comes to road safety”, federal MPs needed to look closer to home over the summer break.

Mr Bradley said the government’s funding commitments were critical in addressing “Australia’s terrible road safety performance of recent years”.

  

“The federal government has really stepped up and is now requiring state governments to hand over important road trauma data in return for the billions of federal dollars they receive to upgrade their networks,” he said. “This level of accountability and transparency is long overdue and a welcome change that will improve future safety policy and save lives.

“But this shift cannot be allowed to be just a one-off response to COVID.”

Mr Bradley said the national road safety strategy presented the “perfect opportunity to formalise the new rules that require state governments to report on the safety impacts of their investments”.

“Motorists have every right to expect this increased scrutiny of transport investments, given the federal government’s collection of $49.3bn in fuel tax over the next four years alone will fund the federal investments in transport projects,” he said.

The top 10 electorates for road fatalities were spread across NSW, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory.

Bob Katter’s sprawling north Queensland seat of Kennedy topped the list with 42 fatalities, followed by Durack, Barker, Lingiari, O’Connor, Grey, Mallee, Page, Flynn and Parkes.

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher’s NSW seat of Bradfield was the only federal electorate which recorded zero fatalities.

Mr McCormack, who had 17 road fatalities in his NSW electorate of Riverina, said the government was doing “everything we can to improve road safety and reduce fatalities and serious injuries on our roads”. He said the government’s $2bn funding boost over 18 months would save lives and support thousands of jobs.