Around 110 Australians died on the roads each month last year, the deadliest period in more than a decade.
In the year to 31 July, the number of road deaths rose by 10.2 per cent, meaning 1,327 people died on Australian roads. This is a figure not reached since October 2012.
Five Australian jurisdictions saw an increase in deaths in the year to 31 July compared to the previous 12 months, with the Northern Territory seeing a staggering 174 per cent increase.
During this period, 63 people died in the NT, compared to 23 in the previous period.
In New South Wales, road deaths rose by a whopping 17.1 percent, while in Victoria road deaths rose by 9.3 percent.
Only South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory saw a decrease in road deaths.
The National Road Safety Strategy, which has been running for a decade and aims to halve road deaths by 2030, has fallen far short of its targets, according to Australian Automobile Association chief executive Michael Bradley.
Since the strategy was implemented in 2021, traffic fatalities have increased by 17.4 percent, Bradley said.
“We are losing 110 lives every month and we are moving in the wrong direction at an alarming rate,” he said.
“These latest figures are not unique, they represent an unacceptable trend.”
When we compare the figures on an annual basis, we see that the number of road deaths in Australia has been falling for more than three years.
The automobile association used the latest figures to once again call for more transparency on the causes of accidents and the condition of the roads. This would provide better insight into what needs to be done to solve the crisis.
Federal Transport Minister Catherine King said in May that disclosing the secret crash data would be part of negotiations over Commonwealth funding.
“A clear picture, backed by data, of where we can best spend road safety money will save lives and ensure we invest in projects that will make the biggest difference,” Ms King said.
But Mr Bradley said negotiations were not yet over and it was time for the states and territories to come on board.
“By sharing data, we can find out which state has the most effective road safety measures and which safety interventions are most needed,” he said.
“This will not only save lives, but also clip the wings of meat-addled politicians by revealing whether governments are funding roads to save lives or win votes in marginal constituencies.”