Horror year on rural roads

It was a tragic year on regional roads, with two-thirds of fatal crashes occurred in 100-110km/h zones

It was another horror year on regional roads with 134 deaths in 2022 compared with 119 in 2021, a 12 per cent increase.

Two-thirds of fatal crashes occurred in 100-110km/h zones.

Overall, 240 people died on Victorian roads in 2022, an increase on the 233 deaths recorded in 2021.

However, there was a drop in metropolitan road deaths from 114 last year to 106 in 2022.

The overall number of deaths was the fourth lowest since TAC records began.

However, authorities said crashes on rural high-speed roads continue to be too frequent, where the combination of speeds and motorists travelling longer distances mean consequences are often more severe when something goes wrong.

There were also 16 road deaths in provincial cities or towns, a 48 per cent decrease, in 2022 and three in small towns or hamlets.

Roadside crosses signify those killed at the scene of a fatal road accident. Supplied.

Meanwhile, a high number of road deaths were among vulnerable road users, with motorcyclists killed increasing from 43 in 2021 to 57 last year, cyclist deaths increased from 11 to 12 and pedestrian fatalities increasing year-on-year from 29 to 44.

Three quarters of all road deaths were men and 27 per cent of people who died in a vehicle were not wearing a seatbelt.

Poor driver behaviour, including speeding and drink or drug driving, continues to contribute to lives lost on the roads.

Sadly, young people are over-represented in the statistics with 20 persons aged 18 to 20 killed on Victorian roads, a 67 per cent increase from last year.

TAC and government initiatives target road user groups most at-risk – including vulnerable and unprotected road users, people who drive for work and roadside workers, and those who engage in high-risk behaviour.

The Victorian Budget 2021/22 set aside almost $50 million to install new fixed road safety cameras at 35 dangerous intersection sites and two point-to-point highway camera systems. These cameras are scheduled to be operational this year.

Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines urged drivers on the state’s roads to make “smart choices” when behind the wheel.

“If you speed, use your phone or drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, rest assured — you will be caught,” he said.