Concern for 17 per cent rise in combined serious crashes, fatalities on Tasmanian roads in 2023
Tasmania’s road toll may be down from last year, but concern is growing for the rising number of serious crashes on our roads – after the death of a young woman on Saturday. LATEST UPDATE >
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Tasmania’s fatal crash figures may be down from this time last year, but concern is growing for the rising number of combined fatal and serious crashes on our roads – which have grown by 17 per cent.
The death of a 28-year-old woman who was involved in a two-vehicle head on crash at Boyer Rd, near Dromedary at about 8.40am on Saturday brought Tasmania’s 2023 road toll to 15.
This latest death is the third in two weeks on the roads.
Inspector John Pratt told media that it appeared a gold Toyota Camry, driven by a 28-year-old man, had crossed to the incorrect side of the road – in which the woman was travelling in her white Suzuki Swift.
The man remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
No charges have been laid.
Inspector Pratt said early indications of the cause of the crash was inattention.
“It appears that the Camry may have crossed to the wrong side of the road,” he said.
“The road was a pretty straight section of road, the road was dry, it was sealed [and] in good condition, traffic was light and [the] weather was pretty fine at the time.”
He said crash investigation services, as well as the forensic investigation services had worked on the scene on Saturday.
In preparing a report for the coroner, he said they would take into consideration the condition of the vehicles, the road, and toxicological samples taken from both drivers.
Inspector Pratt pleaded for drivers to stay safe on the road.
“When you’re driving a vehicle you’ve got one job to do, and that is to drive it,” he said.
Chair of the Road Safety Advisory Council, Scott Tilyard, said about one in four fatal and serious crashes were caused by inattention and distraction.
“It is very difficult to precisely say what caused a crash often – police try to determine what they believe are contributing factors – that’s what [they] work off,” he said.
“And consistently distraction and inattention account for one in four [fatal and serious crashes].”
A total of 51 people died on Tasmania’s roads in 2022, and at this time last year, the state’s road toll was at 27.
While Mr Tilyard said this year’s fatality numbers were an improvement, the number of serious crashes had actually risen.
“What is most concerning is that overall, the combined fatalities and serious injuries this year, we are up by 17 per cent on last year.”
In the motorcycle category, Mr Tilyard said, serious crashes had gone up 30 per cent.
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