Queensland Government Shares Road Safety Data to Tackle Rising Road Toll
How can we effectively tackle the rising road toll without access to comprehensive road safety data?
The Queensland state government has made a groundbreaking decision to share previously undisclosed data on road accidents, traffic policing, and road conditions. This move aims to address the increasing road toll and encourage other states to follow suit. The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) supports this initiative and believes it will be a significant safety reform in Australia. AAA managing director Michael Bradley praises Queensland’s common-sense approach and calls on other states to do the same. Federal transport minister Catherine King is urged to require states to release road safety data in exchange for funding. The AAA emphasizes the importance of transparency in ensuring public money is invested in lifesaving road projects.
The Queensland state government has agreed to share with the Commonwealth and the public previously undisclosed data relating to the causes of road accidents, traffic policing, and the condition of its roads in a bid to help tackle the growing road toll.
The move has been welcomed by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) which says the move will compel other states to follow suit by linking the $10 billion yearly federal road grants to an obligation to publish their road safety data.
AAA managing director Michael Bradley applauds Queensland’s common-sense approach and believes that if other states do the same, it will be Australia’s most important safety reform in decades.
Queensland transport minister Bart Mellish expresses eagerness to share as much information as possible with the federal government and anyone it can help.
The AAA has long campaigned for the release of road crash causality data and data on the effectiveness of police traffic enforcement, but states and territories have refused to comply.
The AAA calls on federal transport minister Catherine King to require other states to follow Queensland’s lead and publish their road safety data.
Mr. Bradley emphasizes that road safety should not be voluntary and urges the Commonwealth to establish an accountability requirement for states in the next National Partnership Agreement.
In 2023, there were 1266 road fatalities in Australia, a 7.3% increase from the previous year. Despite adopting a target to halve road deaths by the end of the decade, the road toll continues to rise.
The data provided shows a fluctuation in road fatalities over the years, with a high of 1293 in 2016 and a low of 1095 in 2020.
The increasing road toll highlights the need for transparency and data-driven policies to ensure effective road safety measures.
- Queensland government shares previously undisclosed road safety data
- AAA commends the move and urges other states to follow suit
- Federal transport minister urged to require data publication
- 1266 road fatalities recorded in Australia in 2023
The Queensland government’s decision to share previously undisclosed road safety data is a significant step towards addressing the rising road toll. The AAA commends this move and urges other states to follow suit. Federal transport minister Catherine King is called upon to require states to publish their road safety data. Transparency and accountability are crucial in ensuring that public funds are invested in road projects that save lives. The statistics on road fatalities emphasize the urgent need for action in implementing effective road safety measures. It is time for Australia to prioritize transparency and data-driven policymaking.