SEVEN deaths on our roads in six weeks — it’s a horrific start to the year for our region, so it’s no surprise the south-west’s police superintendent Don Downes has called for a major road safety review.
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In 2014, the state road toll rose for the first time in six years.
When you couple that fact with the beginning of 2015 and Superintendent Downes’ call for a review, it’s tempting to think we’re returning to the dark days when Victoria averaged two road deaths every day.
But we’re not heading back to that.
While any death on our roads is one death too many, we are still a long way from the carnage of the past.
Last year and 2013 had the lowest number of road fatalities in recent memory — 249 and 243 respectively.
Again, this is still too many deaths, but it is a far sight better than 1989 (766 road fatalities) or even 2001 (444).
There are many reasons our road toll has continued to drop over the years — the efforts of our police force, the powerful ad campaigns of the TAC, and improvements in car safety have all played a part.
And it’s admirable that Superintendent Downes wants to continue exploring this issue in an effort to get our road toll even lower.
But there is only so much these agencies and organisations can do.
The reality is that the responsibility of a lower road toll lies with us.
When we hear about the causes of road accidents, we often hear a familiar litany of reasons — distraction, fatigue, not driving to the conditions, drink-drivers, drug-drivers, speeding.
The police do an amazing job at patrolling our roads but they can’t be everywhere.
That is why it’s up to us to reduce the road toll and be better drivers.
The cause of some of the fatal accidents in our region this year is unknown, and maybe a major road safety review will help lower the toll, but at the end of the day we all have to remember that our safety on the road is our own responsibility.