Research Needed to Tackle Road Toll – NatRoad Urged Government

NatRoad has called for the Government to act to cut the road toll by investing in research to help the heavy industry improve the fatality rate.

Figures released recently showed that articulated truck fatalities declined by 2.2 per cent annually in the 3 years to September 2018, however rigid truck fatalities for the same period increased by 0.3 per cent.

Fatalities involving all heavy trucks also dropped by 10.1 per cent, in comparison to the corresponding period in the previous year, reducing from 169 to 152 crashes.

Warren Clark, NatRoad CEO called for a evidence based research to help us understand the causes of heavy vehicle fatal crashes and particularly rigid truck fatalities which are on the rise. He said while the overall trend is promising, there is still a long way to go to reach a zero fatality rate.

He called for a government agency to be given power to promptly and totally investigate serious truck accidents and share results and recommendations publicly, to give industry participants the chance to take the necessary action and reduce the road toll.

NatRoad said the agency should be given a role that includes better research on trends and causal factors.

Source: http://www.dieselnews.com.au/cut-the-road-toll/#more-18320