176 lives have been lost. Where’s the public uproar?

Queensland is on track for one of the worst years for road deaths in a decade, with 176 lives already lost. Why is there no public uproar, asks David Carter.

Cars have changed a lot since they arrived on our shores back in the 1880s. They’ve become smarter and safer with stronger steel frames, seatbelts, multiple airbags, navigation systems, and a plethora of driver assistance technologies including autonomous emergency braking to help prevent or mitigate the effects of crashes.

Yet for all the gains made to better protect drivers and their passengers, somehow, we’re still killing and maiming ourselves at a shockingly high rate.

I’ve learnt a lot since joining as Chief Executive Officer of Queensland’s peak motoring body, RACQ – much of that is a renewed perspective on road safety.

So far this year, 176 people have lost their lives on Queensland roads – about 10 percent increase on last year.

A figure so high we’re on track for one of the worst years for road deaths in at least a decade. So why is there no public uproar, no national conversation?

If a plane crashed in Australia and 176 lives were lost, we would ground aeroplanes. People would demand everything possible be done to ensure such shocking loss of life couldn’t happen again.

Yet, when it comes to road deaths, people continually fail to take personal accountability for careless behaviour, which is proven to put lives at risk.

RACQ proudly has 1.8 million members across Queensland, from coastal communities to the country.

In one of our recent surveys, 72 percent of our members admitted to speeding and 35 percent confessed they’d driven when tired, despite knowing these acts increase the risk of being hurt or even killed in a crash.

Last year, speeding was the leading cause of fatal crashes in Queensland.

Yes, there are other factors of course – roads. Particularly roads in regional areas need safety upgrades and RACQ continues to lobby governments to prioritise and fast-track key projects and deliver low-cost, high-reward improvements like safety barriers, widening centre lines and improving turn lanes at intersections.

But the hard truth is road safety is largely in the driver’s hands.

Around 90 percent of fatal and serious crashes are caused by some form of driver error. So how can we stop getting it wrong?

If each driver didn’t get distracted, put on their seatbelt, didn’t speed, didn’t drink or be affected by drugs behind the wheel and didn’t drive tired – thousands of mums, dads, children and spouses would still be here with us today.

The road is not a place for a ‘she’ll be right’ attitude. Mistakes and complacency cost lives and the toll is paid by family and friends of those killed and the emergency responders who are confronted by horrific scenes every day.

Even those brave men and women from the RACQ LifeFlight rescue service, have spent most of their shifts this year working to save lives in makeshift emergency rooms on the bitumen.

Our RACQ Traffic Response Units also work in the eye of the storm, confronted by near misses every week while attending roadside incidents.

Too often they’re almost wiped out by motorists who either collide with their response vehicles or narrowly miss them.

As we edge closer to the end of 2021, I am thinking ahead to Christmas. It is just 19 weeks away – and if the current rate of road deaths continues, more than 100 people will be killed on Queensland roads.

Cars are getting safer and roads are slowly improving but the responsibility to keep ourselves and others safe on the road, is in our hands.

So, I’m urging you all to heed that message, and drive like your life depends on it.

David Carter is the CEO of the RACQ Group.

Originally published as 176 lives have been lost. Where’s the public uproar?