Australia records highest road tolls in more than a decade

Australian states and territories cannot start sharing their road safety data quickly enough, according to the peak body of local driving groups, as national road tolling has reached critical levels. important.

Data released by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) shows 1310 people died on Australian roads between 1 May 2023 and 30 April 2020. 2024.

Not only is this an increase of 132 deaths between May 1, 2022 and April 30, 2023, but it is also the highest 12-month death toll since November 30, 2012, which had a similar number of deaths.

Road death rates increased by 31.2 per cent in New South Wales, 35.3 per cent in the Northern Territory and 12.4 per cent in Victoria.

Since hitting a recent low of 1095 road traffic deaths in 2020 – when border closures and pandemic-related lockdowns restricted travel – the toll Australian roads rose again to 1270 deaths in calendar year 2023, the highest since 2016.

The tragic figure comes less than a month after the Federal Government announced it will require states and territories provide previously withheld safety data if they want to receive road funding.

The new five-year funding agreement – ​​known as the National Partnership Agreement for Road Transport Infrastructure Projects – will take effect on 1 July 2024 and will include investment invest $21.2 million in the National Road Safety Data Center, announced in July 2024. Federal Budget this week.

Hitherto, Queensland is the only jurisdiction to announce that it will share data on car crashes, traffic policies and road conditions with the Federal Government.

According to the Australian Automobile Association (AAA), the peak body of the nation’s motoring clubs, states that keep their data private not only endanger their own road users but also cannot help people in other areas.

Michael Bradley, AAA chief executive, said: “To its credit, the Federal Government has agreed to include data transparency provisions in the five-year intergovernmental road funding agreement next, starting in July.”

“These figures tragically show that Australia’s current approach to road injury management is failing and we need a data-driven response to a problem that kills more than 100 people every month.

“The Queensland Government has publicly agreed to provide road safety data, but other states have remained silent on this important reform proposal.

“Data sharing will reveal which state road safety measures are most effective and which safety interventions are most needed.

“It would not only save lives but also end the politicization of road funding by revealing whether governments are investing in the roads that need the safest upgrades, rather than on road projects in marginal constituencies to win votes.”

In this week’s Federal Budget, the Australian Government announced plans to continue existing road safety and maintenance programs, reaching $1 billion in spending in 2033-34 for the Road Resilience Program , $200 million for the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program and $150. million USD for the Black Spot Program.

A further $10.8 million will be spent on the National Road Safety awareness and education campaign throughout the 2024-25 financial year.

Road tolls in Australia – calculated for 12 months

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