Concerns raised over Tasmania’s road safety as death toll soars

Concerns have been raised about the state’s rising road death toll, as a new report reveals how the state compares to the rest of the nation.

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TASMANIA’S fatal crash rate is the second-worst in Australia renewing calls for road safety upgrades in the upcoming state budget.

The Australian Automobile Association’s Benchmarking Road Safety report said the state’s road toll had increased by 6.7 per cent, with 32 people dying on the state’s roads in the year ending September 2020.

New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory had a decrease in fatalities during the same time period.

The report comes after a horror beginning to October, with four fatalities and many people left injured following crashes at Ross, Bagdad and Copping.

Road Safety Advisory Council chair Garry Bailey. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Road Safety Advisory Council chairman Garry Bailey said the higher death toll and number of serious injuries this year was tragic.

“Sadly, one of the reasons why the road toll is higher than at the same time last year is that there have been more multiple-fatality crashes than usual,” Mr Bailey said.

“The physical and psychological impacts of serious injury can change lives forever and have deep and lasting effects from families to communities.”

He said the council adopted the European model of creating a safe system by focusing on safer infrastructure and traffic management alongside safer vehicles and extensive behavioural change.

RACT chief member experience officer Stacey Pennicott. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

RACT chief member experience officer Stacey Pennicott said Tasmania having the highest state rate of fatal crashes per capita was a real concern.

“With the COVID lockdown and fewer motorists on the road, you would hope that the number of fatalities would decline,” she said.

“However, 2020 is turning out to be one of the worst years on our roads in recent times.

“While other jurisdictions have also reported an increase, Tasmania’s figures should be a wake-up call to all of us.”

Ms Pennicott said the RACT welcomed additional road safety funding in the Federal Budget, but hoped the state government would also invest in road safety upgrades in the upcoming state budget.

Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson agreed with calls for more road safety upgrades, saying more would be done.

“However the biggest reasons for preventable deaths on our roads absolutely still relate to driver behaviour,” he said.

“Every death on our roads is a tragedy.”

He said the increased road toll this year was heartbreaking, as was the heightened number of serious injuries.

“We are making record level investments into road improvements throughout the state, both now and for years to come,” Mr Ferguson said.

He said this year’s state budget would continue record funding into new roads, bridges, safety upgrades, and improved public transport and congestion-busting measures.

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