New data shows a worrying increase in Australia’s road deaths instead of the target of reducing road casualties, according to a new report from motoring body AAA. There was an 8.4% increase in road deaths for Australia in the past 12 months, despite the nation’s governments committing to halve it by 2030.
Figures from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics data show that in the 12 months to 31st July, 1,234 people died on roads across Australia. This was an increase of 96 road fatalities over the same period for the previous year. The road death figure of 1,234 was 24.4% higher than the target for casualty reduction for the period.
The two states with the highest increases in road deaths were South Australia and New South Wales, which both saw a 20% jump in fatalities. Vulnerable road users fared poorly, with cyclist deaths increasing 24.3% over the same 12-month period; pedestrian deaths by 17.5%; and motorcyclist deaths by 11.3%.
