34 people lost their lives on Tasmania’s roads last year and while that number might be down on 2022’s “horrendous” numbers, it is no cause for celebration.
In 2023, there were 17 fewer deaths reported compared to 2022, a figure that the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Michael Ferguson says he finds “obviously pleasing”.
The five-year average for road deaths in the state is 37.2.
“Any death on our roads is one too many and there is no cause to celebrate a reduction when people are still dying on a regular basis,” Ferguson said.
“We mustn’t forget that every number represents a person and the grief that families and friends are left with never goes away.”
He said while deaths were down, serious injuries were up by 33 to 300 across 2023.
“Every death and serious injury on our roads is preventable. Serious injuries can lead to lifelong changes not only for the individuals impacted but also their families and communities.”
“In almost every situation it is the actions, decisions or behaviours of drivers that cause the deaths and serious injuries on our roads and it seems that some people just won’t listen.”
Ferguson said the State Government has already implemented and will continue to enforce measures including mobile speed, seatbelt and mobile phone detection cameras to address the issue, with nearly 44,000 speeding incidents detected so far.
“Since being deployed in September 2022, mobile cameras have detected … more than 420 people … driving without correctly wearing a seatbelt,” he said.
650 illegal mobile phone uses were also detected between the end of August when the cameras were introduced to the end of October in 2023.
