Skip to main content

Australia’s road safety improvement sees record low for fatalities

Continued road safety improvements are being seen in Australia, following the implementation of a series of strategic moves. In New South Wales, the latest official data shows that road fatalities for 2014 were the lowest since 1923 and down some 40% compared with 10 years ago. Some cause for concern however has been seen with the 45% increase in deaths caused by the non-use of seat belts. There were 309 road deaths in New South Wales in 2014, compared with 333 in 2013. Across the other side of the count
January 5, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
Continued road safety improvements are being seen in Australia, following the implementation of a series of strategic moves. In New South Wales, the latest official data shows that road fatalities for 2014 were the lowest since 1923 and down some 40% compared with 10 years ago. Some cause for concern however has been seen with the 45% increase in deaths caused by the non-use of seat belts. There were 309 road deaths in New South Wales in 2014, compared with 333 in 2013.

Across the other side of the country in Western Australia, the authorities are also taking steps to tackle bad driving and improve road safety. The police plan to issue warning letters to those drivers deemed a safety risk, as part of a strategy intended to reduce the number of road deaths in the state. The number plate of the drivers will also be flagged on a computer system. In several rural areas, people who have various driving convictions and accumulate a large number of demerit points will receive a personally delivered warning letter from the police.

Related Content

  • WHO highlights Turkey’s road crash rate
    December 11, 2013
    New data from the World Health Organisation's (WHO) 2013 global status report on road safety highlights a serious problem in Turkey. According to the WHO’s research, road crashes result in some 8,700 deaths/year on the Turkish network. The highest health risk for those aged from 15-29 isroad crashes. The report also stated that 50% of the victims are motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians and 75% are males. Excessive speed results in 34% of traffic accidents. However, the report claims that fatal crashes c
  • Kenya to boost road safety with tough traffic enforcement
    December 3, 2012
    Road safety in Kenya looks set to improve following the introduction of tough new traffic laws. The much tougher penalties now in effect include the maximum sentence of a life term for causing death instead of the previous 10 years. Meanwhile driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs will result in fines of up to US$5,750 or a prison term of up to 10 years, or both. The fine for driving under the influence was previously just $172. The fines for speeding or driving on the pavement have been incr
  • Road safety for Thailand and Morocco
    November 27, 2012
    Both in Thailand and Morocco the authorities are looking separately at ways in which road safety can be improved. The two countries face similar problems with regard to road safety and have, independently, embarked on similar paths with a view to resolving the issue. Morocco’s Works and Transport Ministry is setting up a think tank that will attempt to tackle the country’s growing rate of road fatalities. The Moroccan Government intends to ban the use of unroadworthy vehicles and will further amend the cou
  • Cannabis causes car crashes
    March 15, 2012
    Cannabis use poses a serious threat to road safety. A new report published by the British Medical Journal says that drivers who smoke cannabis within a three hour time frame before getting behind the wheel will double their risk of a serious crash.