Rising road toll prompts calls for road safety minister

Two industry bodies have called for Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull to appoint a dedicated road safety minister to address the rising road toll in Australia, which has risen by 63 deaths, or almost 11 per cent, from 580 to 643 for the first six months of 2016.

The Australian Automobile Association's (AAA) Chief Executive, Michael Bradley, insisted the rise in road deaths – which has been occurring since the low point in 2014 – required urgent attention.

"Australia’s National Road Safety Strategy, signed by all Australian governments aims to reduce the number of road deaths and trauma by 30 per cent between 2010 and 2020," Bradley said.

The AAA proposes that a federal government minster be appointed to oversee the strategy. Bradley says the case is clear for a dedicated Road Safety Minister to oversee a new national course of action.

"Clearly we are heading in the wrong direction and there is the need for the Federal Government to lead in the development of policies to deliver safer drivers, safer cars, and safer roads."

And the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) that crash tests vehicles and awards them safety ratings has also thrown its weight behind the proposal. ANCAP CEO James Goodwin noted that a national plan was needed to tie state-based initiates closer together.

"Vehicle safety is a vital element of the road safety solution and we need national leadership across all areas of road safety if we are to see a reversal in the number of lives lost on our roads," said Goodwin.

The 12-month period to June 2016 has seen an 8.5 per cent increase in the number of road deaths in Australia, a total of 1269 (1170 the year prior), sparking calls from Australia's peak vehicle safety, road and motoring organisations to act.

The highest recorded annual road toll in Australia was in 1970, a total of 3798 deaths. It was also the year that seat belts were made mandatory in all motor vehicles.

Technology can improve safety and help lower the road toll but the advent of autonomous vehicles and advanced self-driving tech will not halt road deaths according to a German safety expert who was in Australia recently, Jochen Haab.

Road deaths hit an all-time low in 2014 of 1155 road deaths, but that figure has risen steadily since, and the trend is unacceptable, according to the leading automotive and safety groups.

One such group, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, says land transport crashes account for a huge number of deaths :

- Number one killer for children up to 14 years
- Second largest killer of people aged 15 to 24
- Third largest killer of people aged 25 to 44

Vehicle safety is rapidly improving, as is the advanced technology that provides support for improving crash avoidance systems such as autonomous emergency braking, or AEB.

But the facts confirm that more motorists are dying on Australian roads.

The figures provided by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) reveal that NSW had the most road deaths in the first six months of 2016, a total of 200, followed by Victoria with 151. Those figures were up 24 and 15 per cent respectively on the previous year's road toll.

While there is a National Road Safety Strategy plan in place, Lauchlan McIntosh AM, President of the Australasian College of Road Safety and former ANCAP chair, agrees that overarching national leadership is required.

"This is a national social and economic crisis which requires a cooperative effort from all governments under strong national leadership."