Spike in NSW Road Toll

[Citroënbender]

By my counting, ten people have died in motor vehicle accidents in the last seven days, in NSW. That number includes one pedestrian, and may change if someone critically injured a few days ago dies from their crash injuries.

https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/n...bWwmYWxsPTE%3D
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/n...bWwmYWxsPTE%3D
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/n...bWwmYWxsPTE%3D
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/n...bWwmYWxsPTE%3D
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/n...bWwmYWxsPTE%3D
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/n...bWwmYWxsPTE%3D
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/n...bWwmYWxsPTE%3D
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/n...bWwmYWxsPTE%3D
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/n...bWwmYWxsPTE%3D

Critical injury (doesn’t sound encouraging) from street racing crash:
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/n...bWwmYWxsPTE%3D

On raw extrapolation, that’s 520 fatalities a year. I realise that’s a farcical way to look at it, but it’s still a big number for a springtime week of mostly good weather, in a non-holiday period. Also notable is the brief descriptions of these incidents - a good number of them possibly reflect conduct that’s difficult to police or legislate meaningfully. I’ll be waiting to see what the Government have to say; whether they ignore this detail and keep banging on about speed. (I think the total is too great for them to say nothing, the Opposition and vested interest groups will be vocal otherwise.)

[danzvtil]

My daughter informed me that some yr 12 boys in her old high school took their cars up into the hills winding roads at night, switched off their lights, and raced until they crashed, both in hospital with critical injuries. This is a “thing” apparently.
Never underestimate peoples stupidity when it comes to risk taking behaviour, and that’s before you take drugs into consideration.

[simon varley]

but the current number is 'only' 2 more than same time last year. numbers in isolation mean next to nothing, but expect the 'speed kills' advocates to jump on this.

https://www.bitre.gov.au/statistics/...crash_database

anecdotally the last two years seem to have had awful driver behaviors which does seem to be born out by the data

interestingly, from the data, and for all those advocates of lower CBD limits, only 6% of all fatalities occur in 50kmh zones!

[Trevor 57]

We have NSW friends that tell us that Victorians are the worst drivers and the have worst cars (coz we don't have annual roadworthies), I just keep saying "both States have the same population and NSW has a higher road toll' please explain

[lra]

While not knowing the details of any of those crashes / accidents / road conditions etc , my guess is to a lot of causes >

Disregard for the laws.
Complete lack of common sense regarding road conditions, and lack of common sense.
Alcohol, misuse of some legal prescriptions, illegal drugs.,
Lack of driver training, and lack of common sense.
Misguided belief that Driver Aids will save you from disaster.,

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

We have NSW friends that tell us that Victorians are the worst drivers and the have worst cars (coz we don't have annual roadworthies), I just keep saying "both States have the same population and NSW has a higher road toll' please explain

NSW probably had a lot more dodgy country roads since it’s more than 3 times bigger.
Plus it probably has more passing through traffic than Victoria. I bet NSW has more distance travelled on its road than Victoria.
But yeah NSW drivers are out of control anyway.

[AMB]

Pedestrian fatalities are increasing, apparently because of the design of modern cars with the flat vertical front, look around you will see them every where. In the past the pedestrian would be scooped up and over the bonnet, broken bones etc but not fatal. Now they are being hit by the equivalent of a brick wall, pushed forward and more regularly killed.

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

I just keep saying "both States have the same population and NSW has a higher road toll' please explain

NSW population is 8.153 million & Victoria's population is 6.359 million, not quite the same.

Dr Terry

[b0son]

Originally Posted by AMB

Pedestrian fatalities are increasing, apparently because of the design of modern cars with the flat vertical front, look around you will see them every where. In the past the pedestrian would be scooped up and over the bonnet, broken bones etc but not fatal. Now they are being hit by the equivalent of a brick wall, pushed forward and more regularly killed.

No doubt drivers will be given the responsibility to fix this, even though most pedestrian impacts are the fault of the pedestrian.

[Blue_XR]

Originally Posted by simon varley

but the current number is 'only' 2 more than same time last year. numbers in isolation mean next to nothing, but expect the 'speed kills' advocates to jump on this.

https://www.bitre.gov.au/statistics/...crash_database

anecdotally the last two years seem to have had awful driver behaviors which does seem to be born out by the data

interestingly, from the data, and for all those advocates of lower CBD limits, only 6% of all fatalities occur in 50kmh zones!

I think pedestrians need to pay more attention and get off their phone when walking across the road. I have seen people nearly get hit by trams in the Sydney CBD as they just walk and not even look. People take risks crossing the roads as well. Sometimes you just have to wonder what goes through peoples head.

Also if the road toll keeps on going up I wonder how many people are distracted by the electronics in their cars.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Blue_XR

I think pedestrians need to pay more attention and get off their phone when walking across the road. I have seen people nearly get hit by trams in the Sydney CBD as they just walk and not even look. People take risks crossing the roads as well. Sometimes you just have to wonder what goes through peoples head.

Also if the road toll keeps on going up I wonder how many people are distracted by the electronics in their cars.

$ydney drivers queuing across intersections, forcing their way across driveway entrances and running red lights don't help either.

[jaydee]

Motor cyclists are over represented here in WA.
They make up a third of our 60 fatalities so far, average 1 a week so far.
Majority are old guys, presumably taking up riding again 40 years later with their retirement payout and not doing a refresher course on their Harley's compared to the CB500 they used to ride.

More cars on the road, stat's are going to go up. Plus lots of migrants getting a license here after transferring their licenses from their home country where driving conditions are very different in many ways, good and bad.
I know authorities here don't recognise some countries drivers licenses so they have to start again to obtain a license.

So many contributing factors now days. Years ago it was only 3 things, speed, seat belts and alcohol.
Now it's apathy, drugs, complete disregard and entitlement mixed in with the big 3 and a lack of Police enforcement on the roads.
Governments are too reliant on cameras which are predominantly ineffectual in modify driver behaviour.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by jaydee

Motor cyclists are over represented here in WA.
They make up a third of our 60 fatalities so far, average 1 a week so far.
Majority are old guys, presumably taking up riding again 40 years later with their retirement payout and not doing a refresher course on their Harley's compared to the CB500 they used to ride.

More cars on the road, stat's are going to go up. Plus lots of migrants getting a license here after transferring their licenses from their home country where driving conditions are very different in many ways, good and bad.
I know authorities here don't recognise some countries drivers licenses so they have to start again to obtain a license.

So many contributing factors now days. Years ago it was only 3 things, speed, seat belts and alcohol.
Now it's apathy, drugs, complete disregard and entitlement mixed in with the big 3 and a lack of Police enforcement on the roads.
Governments are too reliant on cameras which are predominantly ineffectual in modify driver behaviour.

And yet modern cars are so much safer, we rely on bells, whistles and large TV screens technology to save us.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

And yet modern cars are so much safer, we rely on bells, whistles and large TV screens technology to save us.

I agree with you, but I get shot down by a particular member of this forum for using the comment "technology dumbs down drivers" responsibility.

[simon varley]

Originally Posted by lra

While not knowing the details of any of those crashes

from the BITRE link I quoted, for NSW this year, up to July, it shows 209 fatalities

Driver 107
Motorcycle pillion passenger 3
Motorcycle rider 34
Passenger 31
Pedal cyclist 4
Pedestrian 30
Grand Total 209

-9 1
0_to_16 9
17_to_25 43
26_to_39 42
40_to_64 60
65_to_74 23
75_or_older 31
Grand Total 209

Nothing jumps out there. The type probably reflects more the amount of each user on the road, and the age certainly doesn't clearly point to either inexperience or age

Inner Regional Australia 78
Major Cities of Australia 79
Outer Regional Australia 47
Remote Australia 5
Grand Total 209

40 2
50 34
60 23
70 20
80 39
90 1
100 66
110 24


nor really does any of the other data. I'm sure other databases have more detail, and I surely hope the ones our decision makers are using do, but to me, these fatalities seem about as random as they coul dbe

[mondeomatureguy]

Hi Guys,
i think the first step in less cameras taking pictures of drivers doing the wrong thing and more cops on the road.
My family had a Cop friend for many many years but has since passed away once told me " having a Cop car in your rear view mirror its amazing how a driver changes his driving of his car and does the right thing.

There will always be stupid drivers taking risks on the road but the sad thing is most of the time some innocent driver also gets injured of worse killed because of there silly actions on the road.

Better education is also a good start, example I was Hire Car driver back in the 1990s and because we used to pick up High Court Judges we were put thru a advanced driving course just in case a Judge got shot at, in one of our cars and we were taught what to do.

A few weeks ago my wife and i drove to Adelaide for a weeks rest. I had driven alonge the Hay plane on the the way to Mildura in Victoria. Still on the Sturt Highway when a P plater went past me like i was standing still and i was doing 110kmh.

This P plater over took four cars in a row and we could see vehicles in the distance coming the other way, so we all hit the brakes and he got back onto the right side of the road.

I know that living in a regional town as i do it not just speed that kills people but speeding on country roads and when the wild life comes out at night such as kangaroos and if your on a motor bike and you hit a Kangaroo its usually fatal.

I dont have all the answers but wished i did. if i was the Transport Minister i would think about less cameras, more cops on the road, better education for drivers, especially younger drivers, taking more care driving on Country roads and drive to the conditions and the speed limit.

[Citroënbender]

The last couple of weeks, road deaths seem less (per week) than when I started the thread. I haven’t counted them up, though.

This one seemed pretty crap, obviously hit an empathetic nerve having known a few young women who were mad keen riders. https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/n...bWwmYWxsPTE%3D

[jaydee]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

The last couple of weeks, road deaths seem less (per week) than when I started the thread. I haven’t counted them up, though.

This one seemed pretty crap, obviously hit an empathetic nerve having known a few young women who were mad keen riders. https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/n...bWwmYWxsPTE%3D

That was way out in the boonies, rural area.
Just bloody unlucky and maybe a bit of complacency by both parties.
Poor kid old enough to realise what has happened too.