The Department of Transport has launched a new strategy to eliminate deaths on Victorian roads in the years to come.
The Department said its new Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 was aimed to halve deaths and significantly reduce injuries by 2030 and set Victoria on the path towards zero road deaths by 2050.
“Despite the reduced traffic due to the pandemic, more than 200 people have lost their lives on Victorian roads this year – heartbreaking for families, friends and communities,” the Department said.
“The new Strategy will focus on embedding a strong culture of road safety across our State, supporting road users to make safe choices as we progressively reduce fatalities on our roads,” it said.
“This includes a dedicated focus on the issues we know are driving our State’s road toll: driver behaviour including speed and distraction; greater support for vulnerable road users and those who use the road as part of their work; addressing unsafe vehicles, high-risk roads and intersections; and greater emphasis on post-crash care.”
The Department said that over the life of the Strategy it would roll out new initiatives to deter risky behaviour through a series of action plans, the first of which would be released this year.
“Distracted drivers are a growing danger, with mobile phone use the main driver behind the increase in crashes,” it said.
“The number of Victorians not wearing a seatbelt – one of the simplest ways to stay safe – is also a concern.”
It said young and older drivers were also over-represented in crash data, so new education campaigns would be launched to target risky behaviour among those groups with the Department piloting programs to support them to access safer vehicles.
The Department’s 43-page Strategy can be accessed at this PS News link.
