Calls for renewed focus as National Road Safety Week gets underway
With National Road Safety Week (17–24 May) now underway, Transport Australia, Safer Australian Roads and Highways Group (SARAH Group), and the Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) have called for renewed national focus on practical, proven measures such as safer speeds, better infrastructure and safer vehicles.
The call comes as preliminary April data shows road deaths were 20% above the five-year monthly average as 121 people were killed on Australian roads, with a longer-term trend of road death increases over the past five years suggesting that Australia is significantly off track to meet the National Road Safety Strategy target of halving fatalities by 2030.
SARAH Group President Peter Frazer OAM said too many roads did not meet the required minimum level of safety, which means three stars or better under the Australian Road Assessment Program. “Each additional star halves the risk of a fatal or serious injury crash occurring on that road, so improving a road from one or two stars up to three stars or better will save lives. Everyone has a right to get home safe, every day, without exception. When a road is high-risk, there are two proven ways to improve safety,” Frazer said.
“Firstly, invest in upgrading the infrastructure. That means more than just repairing potholes. It requires real safety improvements, starting with laying rumble strips and removing roadside hazards, then moving to more significant safety measures such as installing barriers, widening shoulders, smoothing hazardous corners, and providing lane separation to prevent head-on collisions. Each of these measures is highly effective but requires increased funding and long-term planning,” Frazer added.
“However, there is a second approach that is both fast and low-cost. We know that crashes at speeds above 80 km/h are often fatal and yet default speed limits are often set at 100 km/h… far too high for the road’s design. So, if a road lacks those highly effective safety features, especially our regional and remote roads, simply lowering the speed limit will immediately improve its safety star rating, and in doing so, reduce the risk of serious injuries and, most importantly, save lives.”
ACRS CEO Dr Ingrid Johnston said road trauma costs the Australian economy more than $40 billion a year. “The costs fall on business, the health system, communities and the families and loved ones impacted. Road crashes also negatively impact travel time reliability and congestion levels across the country. With almost 1 million km of road in Australia, we need to invest in both the high-return infrastructure upgrades and the speed limit reductions to reduce the number of people being killed and seriously injured.” Johnston said. “It will be win-win for all.”
More information on National Road Safety Week is available at roadsafetyweek.com.au.
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