By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
Local roads recorded 408 fatalities in the past 25 years, Transport Accident Commission statistics reveal.
But most accident categories were trending downward despite increasing numbers of vehicles on roads in Geelong, the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula, according to road safety manager Elizabeth Waller.
“Our first ads came out about 25 years ago as a way of setting an agenda in the community that the level of deaths on the roads was not good,” Ms Waller said.
“Improvements in car safety features such as seat belts, air bags, electronic stability control and ABS, and better road infrastructure have contributed to the decline.
“The most difficult thing to change is people’s behaviour. We have to recognise that people do make mistakes and put a safe system around them.
“That means the road is safe, intersections make sense and people leave sufficient margin for error.”
Ms Waller said the region’s high number of pedestrian deaths and accidents involving ageing drivers were still areas of concern.
She said the TAC had added autonomous emergency braking to its campaign urging buyers to purchase the safest car possible.
“We are not saying everyone has to get into a new car that has all these features but, particularly for young people, there are a lot of second-hand cars available that are very safe. It’s really about getting the community to get on board and be more aware of their surroundings, be willing to share the road and being forgiving of other’s mistakes.”
TAC statistics for the past 25 years show 93 fatalities from vehicles running off straight roads, 76 involving motorists driving in opposite directions and 56 while going the same way.
The figures showed weekends were more dangerous as drivers travelled through unfamiliar places at unusual times.
The hour between 2pm and 3pm also accounted for a higher share of road deaths, 53.
