Nineteen people have died in central Victoria and 172 others have lost their lives across the state so far this year, Transport Accident Commission data up to 2 September shows.

More than half have died on country roads, prompting the TAC to hold regional forums like one in Bendigo on Tuesday night. The event attracted 130 people, many of whom have loved ones, or had family members badly injured in crashes.

Castlemaine's Brian Hovious was among those to attend. He was hit by a car 28 years ago, breaking many of his bones and changing the course of his life.

"People have got to be more responsible. We have these cars and motorcycles now that are so powerful, but where is the training in how to drive one?"

Danielle Allport's father Phil White died in 2017 when he came off his motorbike after a crash involving a kangaroo. She believed wire rope barriers may have contributed to his death.

"Barriers, obviously are one of my main issues," Ms Allport said.

"He (Dad) hated barriers and to be able to come and stand here on his behalf is important to me and the family."

Ms Allport would like to see barriers on stretches of the Calder Highway removed, particularly on the inside lanes, to increase safety for motorcyclists.

Edward Barkla knew bicycle riders killed on roads in recent years.

The Bendigo Cycling Network member wants motorists to be a metre from cyclists when passing.

That is something Victoria has so far not put into law despite reforms in other parts of Australia.

"It's suggested here but it's not legislated, so there is no emphasis on people abiding by passing laws," Mr Barkla said.

There was a lack of conversation within the community around that issue, he said.

"We are not even entering into that ball park of having the thought or the conversation about it.

"It's just that response that 'bike riders should get off the road'."

The TAC's Megan Jacobs said the group's role at the forum was to listen to people's concerns.

"We aren't providing answers tonight. There's no Q and A panel situation," she said.

"We want to go out and have proper conversations with people in regional communities.

"Each of the people coming this evening will have their own opinions. There's no right or wrong.

"We want to know what is really important to a cross-section of the community."

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Feedback from Bendigo's forum, as well as seven others across regional Victoria, would go towards a new statewide strategy to begin in 2021.

It would replace Towards Zero, a five year state government plan to lower the road toll.

The TAC was combing through crash data for insights into the spike in this year's road toll, Ms Jacobs said.

"There's often this misconception in the regions that it's people who are driving up from Melbourne or tourists, but it actually is not," she said.

"We know it's people who know the roads and we know accidents often happen within 30km of where people live."

The TAC has noticed most of those accidents involve a vehicle going across a road's centre line or leaving the road.

Yet there was no common theme to easily explain the spike, Ms Jacobs said.

"It's not a sudden spate of drunk drivers.

"It's not necessarily the people doing the things we sometimes think of as the "wicked" behaviors.

"It's people who are fatigued or find themselves distracted. It's usually really simple things."

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