Victorian road fatalities mostly 'drivers going about daily business'

[vztrt]

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...222-194sv.html

Victorian road fatalities mostly 'drivers going about daily business'

December 22, 2010 - 9:04AM

Most fatalities on Victoria's roads during the Christmas holiday period are not long-distance travellers but people going about their daily business, a coroners report has found.

Alcohol or speed were factors in more than half of all fatal crashes.

The report showed males are at greatest risk of dying on Victorian roads, with 70 per cent of deaths surveyed involving men.
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Young people aged between 15 and 24 represented more than one-third (35 per cent) of all deaths.

The Victorian Coroners Court survey analysed 170 deaths from 154 road crashes in the Christmas holiday periods from 1999/2000 to 2009/10.

It found 53 per cent, or 74 people, were involved in social activities including travelling to shopping centres, private residences or leaving licensed venues when fatal crashes occurred.

Fourteen per cent of deaths involved holiday-related travel while a further fourteen per cent, or 19 people, died while driving for work purposes.

Five deaths involved people travelling in a stolen vehicle or trying to evade police.

''The majority of road users were undertaking travel for everyday activities at the time of the crash rather than undertaking holiday-related travel,'' the report concluded.

Drunkenness was a factor in 28 per cent of deaths, speed in 25 per cent, fatigue in 19 per cent and drug use was detected in 14 per cent of fatalities.

The report showed while the annual number of roads deaths have declined the number of fatal crashes over the Christmas period has not reduced.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Ken Lay asked the Coroners Prevention Unit in January to undertake the review to explore why the Christmas road toll had not declined.

He said collisions during the holiday period contributed to an increasing proportion of the annual toll, from 2.5 per cent in 1999/2000 to five per cent in 2009/2010.

''We know that with holiday driving comes risk, people are driving long distances on often unfamiliar roads,'' Mr Lay said in a statement.

''But this review shows that a significant number of deaths over this period are in fact people undertaking day-to-day short distance trips to shopping centres and the like.

''This just shows that we all need to be vigilant on the road at all times and on all trips.''

AAP

[TEaaron]

So burnouts and drifting is ok?

SWEET

[Trevor 57]

There is no revelation in that. I think they are just highlighting to the average joe that anyone can get killed at anytime.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by TEaaron

So burnouts and drifting is ok?

SWEET

Nice attitude - NOT!!!!!!

[jpd80]

I recall that NSW used to say its road toll increased due to influx of drivers from other states,
maybe that's the case for NSW and Queensland but I still think its a cop out as most people
get holiday travel brain and start doing silly things on the roads...

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by Big Trev

Nice attitude - NOT!!!!!!

Pretty sure he was joking Trev.

Accidents happen, just pay attention and take care.

[EDManual]

and dont forget when they say "speed related" has absolutely NOTHING to do with "speeding". It is what they determine too fast for the conditions (ie, if they were going slower they wouldnt have had a better chance not to crash.)

[Poetic Justice]

What they forget to highlight is that a far greater amount of people are actually on holidays with more time to be doing "daily business" such as the going to shopping centres or leaving friends house etc as mentioned.

A greater amount of people on the road is of course going to result in a greater amount of incidents.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by SCUD

A greater amount of people on the road is of course going to result in a greater amount of incidents.

It pretty much highlights the poor driving standards of Australia IMO. When you see city's around the world that are more chaotic then Melbourne but people cope quite well.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by vztrt

It pretty much highlights the poor driving standards of Australia IMO. When you see city's around the world that are more chaotic then Melbourne but people cope quite well.

Try driving in Asia. People don't use their indicators, pull out in front of each other and the drivers almost acquire a 6th sense to read and predict other driver behaviour. In Australia, pulling out in front of somebody will end in an accident, a fit of road rage or both.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Try driving in Asia. People don't use their indicators, pull out in front of each other and the drivers almost acquire a 6th sense to read and predict other driver behaviour. In Australia, pulling out in front of somebody will end in an accident, a fit of road rage or both.

Lived and worked in many parts of Asia. India was the only place I was worried (only on the highway) as they gear up to overtake. In the cities it was quite funny watching no order work. Reminded me of that cartoon bee movie.

[jaydee]

I think it's called complacency. Most prangs are within 10 kays of home,was one stat I read somewhere.
You think because you know the roads and the area you can go into auto pilot until something suddenly gets thrown into the equation that you weren't ready for.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by jaydee

I think it's called complacency. Most prangs are within 10 kays of home,was one stat I read somewhere.
You think because you know the roads and the area you can go into auto pilot until something suddenly gets thrown into the equation that you weren't ready for.

It is all about lack of concentration, people relax when they are near home.

I was in the VicSES for 13 years, doing road accident rescue, ('jaws of life' and stuff) and it is very common to see locals killed near their homes.

[LTDHO]

Originally Posted by vztrt

It pretty much highlights the poor driving standards of Australia IMO.

Agreed.

[Jim Goose]

no wonder if 42% of those involved where either drunk or drugged up to the eyeballs!

[LTDHO]

My advice for the next few weeks.

Watch out for the elderly, they are used to having the roads to them selves in surberbia during the week, so at the moment they are having to adjust. So be careful.