TOM HAYES
By TOM HAYES
THE Andrews Labor Government has reinforced its focus on reducing road trauma in the new year after the number of people killed on Victoria’s roads increased in 2022. As the year ended, 240 people lost their lives on Victorian roads – an increase on the 233 deaths last year, but the fourth lowest since TAC records began, including the pandemic-affected record low of 211 in 2020. TAC acting chief executive officer, Liz Cairns, said sadly, more than 240 families were starting this year missing a loved one who lost their life on the roads in 2022. “It’s tragic, it’s avoidable and we need all Victorians to make safe choices and play a role in turning it around,” she said. Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Melissa Horne, said our hearts go out to all those affected by road trauma. “We can’t accept that anyone should lose their life, or have it permanently changed, as a result of getting behind the wheel,” she said. Motorists on regional roads remain a big concern, with 134 people dying in country areas compared with 119 in 2021, while metropolitan road deaths dropped from 114 in 2021 to 106 in 2022. More than two-thirds of regional fatalities occurred on 100-110km/h roads. Crashes on rural high-speed roads continue to be frequent, where the combination of high speeds and motorists travelling longer distances mean consequences are often more severe when something goes wrong. There was a decline in driver and passenger deaths (126 down from 147); however, 27 per cent of people who died in a vehicle were not wearing a seatbelt. Vulnerable road users including motorcyclist (57 up from 43) and pedestrian (44 up from 29) fatalities increased year-on-year. Poor driver behaviour, including speeding and drink or drug driving, continues to contribute to lives lost on the roads, together with a large proportion (40 per cent) of unauthorised motorcyclists. The Minister for Police, Anthony Carbines, said all Victorians should make a smart choice behind the wheel this new year and get home safely. “If you speed, use your phone or drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, rest assured – you will be caught,” he said. Victoria has historically been a world leader in road safety – from the introduction of compulsory seat belt laws to a no tolerance approach to drink driving, but Mr Carbines said work would not be complete until no lives were lost on the roads. The Labor Government aims continue its Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 and Action Plan, which is designed to protect lives, improve safety and achieve its targets. These include halving the number of fatalities by 2030, with work focused across education, infrastructure, enforcement, policy and technology. Initiatives target road user cohorts that are 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 also invested $49.4 million to install and commission new fixed road safety cameras at 35 dangerous intersection sites and two point-to-point highway camera systems. These cameras will begin enforcing throughout 2023. The TSAC emphasised to Victorians: slow down, put the phone away, never drive drunk or on drugs, take adequate breaks when driving long distances, and be aware of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
