Editorial: Shocking road stats underline need for care
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
CENTRAL Victoria recorded the most road fatalities in 2012 with 28 deaths, up from 11 in 2011.
While Victoria Police is encouraged by the state’s fifth consecutive record low road toll of 279, Bendigo police’s Senior Sergeant Paul Gardiner said it was a terrible year on central Victorian roads.
“The provisional results show it was a particularly bad year last year,” he said.
“We are the worst area in the state. Too many people have died on our roads.”
The five-year road fatality average in central Victoria is 21.
Senior Sergeant Gardiner said he was not sure why the figure spiked significantly last year.
“Our activities on the roads have been really strong and we’ve been heavily supported by the Road Safety Victoria,” he said.
“We’ve also had lots of campaigns throughout the media.
“But sadly, the message has not spread across the area.”
Senior Sergeant Gardiner said most incidents were caused by inattention or speed.
“The majority of the accidents were single vehicles on country roads going too quick or being distracted,” he said.
He hoped people would take more care on central Victorian roads in 2013.
“Drivers really need to understand that everything they do in a motor vehicle can have severe consequences,” Senior Sergeant Gardiner said.