Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics data shows in the 12 months to 30 September 2023, 240 Australians died on the roads – up 4.6 percent on the corresponding period a year earlier.
The NSW toll rose even more – up by 17.2% (340 deaths, up from 290). Two-thirds of those NSW deaths occurred in regional areas which have suffered high road death tolls for many years.
Australia’s peak motoring body says governments must respond to the crisis by publishing data about the causes of crashes, the condition of our roads, and patterns of law enforcement.
“This would enhance transparency and give experts the information needed to create more effective road safety policies,’’ said AAA Managing Director Michael Bradley.
“The NSW Government holds the data we need to understand these figures, but like other states and territories, it’s not making it public.
The AAA’s Data Saves Lives campaign calls on the Federal Government to compel state and territory governments to publish more road safety data as a condition of receiving their share of the $10 billion a year the Commonwealth spends on road grants.
The Commonwealth could achieve this by writing data transparency into the next five-year National Partnership Agreement on Land Transport Infrastructure Projects, which is now under negotiation and due to take effect from July 2024.
The AAA’s Data Saves Lives campaign has already won the support of 61 federal MPs – or 40% of the House of Representatives.
For more detail follow the link datasaveslives.org.au.