Carnage in a pandemic

IF you applied logic to the year 2020, Tasmania’s road toll should have reduced significantly. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant fewer movements on the state’s roads, less overall traffic and fewer international and interstate visitors.

It’s therefore puzzling to see that the state’s road toll has increased. So far this year 27 people have died — up from 21 last year.

Just in the month of August six people have been killed — a young motorcyclist in Launceston, a father and daughter on Algona Road at Blackmans Bay, and three more on the weekend — a 50-year-old woman at Huonville and an elderly couple at Bridgenorth.

There were more crashes yesterday as wild weather played havoc across the state.

Every serious crash can and usually does have devastating consequences across the community.

The ripple effects are felt far and wide. As well as the cost of medical care, there is trauma on other drivers and emergency staff who attend the scene and families left devastated by the loss of, or serious injuries, to a loved one.

The state’s rate of death or serious injury has also surged this year with 6.3 people per 100,000 — well above the national average of 4.7 people per 100,000.

If the state managed to match the national average, 10 or more lives would be saved every year.

Across the country the COVID pandemic has led to decreases in the road toll of between 18.2 and 33.3 per cent — Tasmania’s toll has jumped 6.3 per cent. Only Queensland has had a worse record in 2020.

It’s difficult to know why. But traffic investigations consistently point to key factors in serious crashes.

Often referred to as the “fatal five” they are speeding, intoxication (drugs and/or alcohol), failure to wear a seat belt, driver fatigue and distraction.

As many as 10,000 Tasmanians are caught speeding by more than 20km/h across the state every year. To speed by that much is not merely inattention to road signs. There is simply no excuse for it.

Road Safety Advisory Council chair Garry Bailey described the statistic as “absolutely appalling behaviour” which needed to be called out.

He said there needs to be a shift in thinking from drivers who check their mobile phones or speed when they believed they wouldn’t get caught.

“The risk they should be thinking about is causing death and serious injury to themselves and other road users,” Mr Bailey said.

Some will say the quality of roads plays a significant factor in the road toll, but many crashes happen in good conditions on well-maintained surfaces.

Whenever there are severe weather events, police are quick to advise us all to “travel to the conditions” — yet how many times do you see drivers flying along at or over the speed limit even when it’s pouring with rain or the conditions are icy?

For too long Tasmanians have been quick to blame overseas visitors or bad roads for the state’s road toll. This year we have no one to blame by ourselves.

You would think that in a year when life has been rarely more fragile we would take extra care on our roads to preserve it.

Responsibility for all editorial comment is taken by the Editor, Jenna Cairney, Level 1, 2 Salamanca Square, Hobart, TAS, 7000

YOU WOULD THINK THAT IN A YEAR WHEN LIFE HAS BEEN RARELY MORE FRAGILE WE WOULD TAKE EXTRA CARE ON OUR ROADS TO PRESERVE IT