The TAC is hosting a regional road safety forum in Shepparton on July 16 aimed at addressing the shocking road death toll we have experienced so far this year.
Six lives have already been lost on Goulburn Valley roads, more than the total number of combined road fatalities from last year.
With 157 deaths statewide so far this year, an increase of 57 per cent from the same time last year, Shepparton Police Divisional Acting Superintendent Tim MicKinney urged the community to work together to bring these numbers down.
‘‘The statistics this year say a pretty shocking message, as we know it ripples through the community for years after especially when anyone dies,’’ Superintendent MicKinney said.
The Shepparton forum is one of eight hosted by the TAC, which aims to address road safety in major regional areas across the state.
According to TAC statistics, drivers are two thirds more likely to be killed or seriously injured on a country road than in a metropolitan area while more than two thirds of people killed on regional roads this year have died within 30km of their home.
Shepparton Police Inspector Troy Hargadon said while the statistics were alarming, it was known that country Victorian’s travel more kilometres each year than city drivers and normally at a higher speed.
‘‘We are certainly seeing that regional people are more often or not the people dying on regional roads, whether that’s because of complacency or distraction — there’s a number of factors which influence that,’’ Insp Hargadon said.
He said fatigue, speed, drink and drug driving, driver behaviour, weather and wildlife all played an active role in road trauma.
TAC senior manager of engagament Meg Jacobs said the Shepparton forum would be attended by road safety experts, local government representatives and community leaders who will look at the reasons behind the disproportionate number of country road deaths and how to prevent loss of life.
In addition to looking at local and regional road safety issues raised by attendees, the forum will touch on enforcement, speed factors, technology and infrastructure.
‘‘The government is in the early stages of developing Victoria’s next road safety strategy and its vital that we are listening to as many communities as possible to get their thoughts on how we can make our roads safer,’’ Ms Jacobs said.
Insp Hargadon said forums such as this one encouraged conversation within the community, with attendees urged to share their thoughts on how police and other key agencies could work to prevent road trauma from occurring.
‘‘Whilst (police are) a lead agency in road safety in partnership with a lot of other organisations, we don’t profess to know it all or to have all the answers or all the ideas, so the forum is an opportunity for those who might have some different avenues of thinking to come forward and have their ideas heard,’’ Insp Hargadon said.
The TAC Regional Road Safety Forum will be held in Shepparton on Tuesday, July 16, from 5.45pm to 7.30pm at the Shepparton RSL in Wyndham St. For more information or to register your attendance, visit tac.vic.gov.au/regional-road-safety-forum
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