Michael Ferguson,Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Speeding has continued to be the biggest killer on Tasmanian roads with 2021 proving to be another tragic year for fatalities.
Last year 35 people lost their lives, which is only slightly down from 37 in 2020. The impact of these deaths on our roads goes far beyond those killed – it affects families, friends and entire communities.
Tragically, two people have been killed over the Christmas/New Year period to date and we urge all motorists to be especially vigilant during this holiday period when it is easy to get distracted.
In 2021 there were 242 serious injuries on our roads, down from 290 in 2020. The lasting pain, suffering and loss caused by road injuries is needless, distressing and takes an ongoing toll on the whole community.
In 2021, speeding was again the major contributing factor to deaths on our roads, with one in three fatalities involving excessive speed or excessive speed for the conditions.
We all know that speed kills and it’s heartbreaking for anyone to have to hear we lost another life because someone chose to speed on our roads.
We need all drivers and riders to heed the message of our new campaign and understand that it doesn’t matter if you’re speeding by 15 km/h or 4 km/h because ‘Over is Over’.
The 2021 figures also show that motorcyclists remain overrepresented, accounting for around a third of all serious casualties.
Concerningly, it seems some people just don’t get the message, with alcohol or drugs and inattention being contributing factors in around 22 per cent and 15 per cent of casualties respectively.
Sadly, it seems that many Tasmanians have become far too accepting of serious injuries and deaths on our roads. Unless we can more positively influence people’s attitudes towards road safety, we are unlikely to experience an improvement in road user behaviours.
We all have a part to play in making zero happen. High risk behaviours put others at risk on our roads, and road safety is everybody’s responsibility.
