Despite a decrease in the number of people killed in car crashes over the past 12 months in Tasmania, the country’s overall road toll continues to rise.
Data from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) shows that 1,240 people died on Australian roads in the 12 months up to September this year, up from 1,186 the previous year.
More than 100 people were hospitalised every day.
In Tasmania over the last year 33 people died on the state’s roads, down from 48 deaths in the previous period.
The AAA say “while this is a decrease of 31.3%, it is 5 more road deaths than the state’s notional pro rata target of no more than 28 deaths for this stage of the [National Road Safety Strategy]”.
According to the AAA, if Tasmania had matched the Victorian fatality rate of 3.98 per 100,000 population, 10 lives could have been saved.
The current fatality rate in Tasmania is 5.76 per 100,000 people.
To tackle the ‘worsening road safety situation’, the AAA is asking Transport Minister Catherine King to connect the $10 billion the federal government spends on roads each year to states and territories sharing data about the most dangerous and deadly roads.
AAA managing director Michael Bradley stressed the importance of being open with data to save lives.
“Australia’s current approach to road safety is not working and data transparency is needed to allow an examination of the factors responsible for current failings,” Bradley said.
“It would also provide a new level of funding transparency and assure voters that their political representatives are spending taxpayers’ money where it will be most effective in making our roads safer.”
The AAA wants the national and state governments to include sharing data as a requirement in the upcoming 5-year National Partnership Agreement on Land Transport Infrastructure Projects, which should start in July 2024.
“Australia’s current approach to road safety is not working and data transparency is needed to allow an examination of the factors responsible for current failings.”
