Education needed on road safety

With rural road fatalities making up two thirds of last year’s national road toll, new research has looked under the bonnet at dangerous driver behaviour and the importance of further education to save precious lives.

Launch of the Australian Road Safety Foundation research marked the third annual Rural Road Safety Month and revealed 78 percent of drivers admitted to being responsible for risky driver behaviour.

One in five have also confessed to being more likely to break a road rule in rural areas.

Speed is the primary dangerous driving act that all Australians are prepared to risk on rural roads. Speed, fatigue and drink-driving are the top behaviours found to most likely impact rural drivers.

Research found dangers beyond the driver’s seat were also creating added risk in rural areas.

Regional residents compared with others, were more likely to ride bicycles and scooters without a helmet, as well as ride them after a few drinks.

Foundation founder and chief executive Russell White said every Australian driver, whether city or regionally based, needed to take ownership of their role in reducing the rural road toll.

“Despite smaller population numbers, 835 people tragically lost their lives on regional roads last year, which shows that just one dangerous choice can have dire consequences,” he said.

“When it came to reasons for increasing risky behaviour on rural roads, not getting caught was the most common response, and it was most prevalent among regional drivers.

“The research also tells us that on rural roads, local drivers are more cognisant of their behaviour causing harm to others, whereas metro drivers are more likely to only be concerned with doing harm to themselves.

“We will continue to see an unnecessary loss of life in rural communities until we acknowledge that all road users have a personal responsibility to ensure safety is front of mind when behind the wheel.”

The ARSF research also highlights a disparity in attitudes and behaviours between rural and city drivers.

The data revealed that metropolitan drivers not only wrongly believed that rural roads were safer than city streets and motorways, but almost half incorrectly claimed that more road fatalities occurred in city areas.

Running until August 31, Rural Road Safety Month is a community awareness project that calls on everyday road users to jump in the driver’s seat of regional road safety.

People can visit arsf.com.au more information. for