• There are approx three times as many fatalities per 100,000 people in country Victoria as in Metropolitan Melbourne.
    There are approx three times as many fatalities per 100,000 people in country Victoria as in Metropolitan Melbourne.
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Country road users

While significant gains were made under arrive alive! 2002-2007 in reducing road trauma in metropolitan areas, these achievements were not matched in country Victoria.

Country road casualties remain disproportionately more numerous per population than in Melbourne.

In 2007, for every 100,000 road users in country Victoria, 12.4 were killed in a road crash, compared to only 4.1 for every 100,000 in metropolitan Melbourne.

In 2006, for every 100,000 road users in country Victoria, 13.4 were killed in a road crash, compared to only 3.9 per 100,000 in metropolitan Melbourne.

Country crash types: Country road users are more at risk of a fatal crash as a result of a run-off-road or head-on crash. Infrastructure improvements designed specifically to address these types of crash risks on country roads and roadsides can significantly reduce risks for country road users.

Drink and drug driving: Factoring in population, alcohol is around twice as likely to be a contributing factor in fatal crashes on country roads. Reducing the incidence of drink driving is a key challenge to improving the road safety for country road users. Similarly drug driving is a growing problem particularly among high risk groups such as young and heavy vehicle drivers.

Fatigue: Fatigue related crashes are far more prevalent in regional areas compared to metropolitan Melbourne. Measures such as infrastructure improvements and targeted education initiatives are essential in order to reduce the involvement of fatigue in crashes.

Level crossing safety: Compared to metropolitan Melbourne, country Victoria has a greater number of level crossings without boom gates or flashing lights, but have 'STOP' or 'GIVE  WAY' signs. Improving level crossing safety will have significant safety benefits for country road users

Heavy vehicles: With most fatalities involving heavy vehicles occurring on country roads, reducing the road safety risks for heavy vehicles, including those related to fatigue and speed, will have a positive effect  for all country road users.

What the strategy will do

Measures to reduce the risks for country road users will include:

  • Undertaking improvements to country roads and roadsides to reduce major crash risks. These will include removing road side hazards and installing roadside barriers to address run-off-road crashes.  Steel guardrails and wire rope safety barriers are highly effective in absorbing the impact of vehicles travelling at high speeds.
  • Shoulder sealing will be used to provide a smoother, more stable surface at the road’s outer edge and minimise the chances of motorists losing control of their vehicles and running off the road. Additionally, rumble lines along the shoulder alert motorists that they are travelling too close to the edge of the road.
  • Rumble lines along the centre-line of roads and overtaking taking lanes are proven measures that reduce the chances of head-on crashes occurring by warning drivers they are crossing on to the wrong side of the road.
  • Infrastructure improvements will be made to reduce the risk and severity of country intersection crashes, including roundabouts – which can reduce fatal and serious injury crashes by up to 85 per cent - and other safety improvements such as skid resistance treatments, lighting improvements, vehicle activated signs and conversion of Y intersections to safer T intersections.
  • Carrying out a major program of level crossing safety improvements, including the installation of flashing warning signs at level crossings on regional Victorian highways, and rumble strips, which are raised road strips that alert motorists that a level crossing is ahead. Reduction of speed limits will also occur at high risk, high road speed rural rail level crossings. These infrastructure improvements will be supported by targeted education, tougher penalties for level crossing infringements and enforcement programs.
  • Reducing the incidence of drink and drug driving through targeted initiatives that focus on the issues associated with drink and drug driving. Initiatives including education campaigns will be delivered to improve driver safety in country Victoria. This will involve working closely with licensed premises and sporting clubs.
  • Targeted enforcement of drink driving will be carried out using existing specialised booze buses for operations in country Victoria and targeted enforcement of drug driving in country Victoria will also be undertaken.
  • Priorities to reduce the incidence and severity of fatigue related crashes will be through new public awareness campaigns, improvements to country rest stop facilities, and infrastructure improvements to reduce run-off-road crashes and head-on crashes on country roads.
  • Heavy vehicle safety will be improved by implementing a range of actions to reduce the risks associated with heavy vehicles, including ongoing improvements to road and roadside infrastructure and improving the driving practices of other road users sharing the road with heavy vehicles.
  • Improved enforcement of heavy vehicle speeds will be done by ensuring the compliance and integrity of heavy vehicle speed limiters which restrict the vehicle’s top speed to 100km/h, and compliance with Chain of Responsibility laws which means that anybody, not just the driver, who has control in a transport operation can be held responsible for breaches of road laws.
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