The ACT has the lowest road toll and the greatest fall of fatal road accidents of any state or territory, according to statistics issued this week.
The ACT has 0.62 deaths per 100 million kilometres travelled, half the Australian average of 1.34. The next best state is Victoria with 1.02 and the worse is the Northern Territory with 3.14.
The statistics were issued by the Department of Transport and Communications.
They show that over the past five years the ACT’s fatal accidents fell 38.4 per cent. The Australian average was 23.5. Victoria was next best with 34.2 and the lowest drop was in Queensland with 7.6 per cent. The fall in road deaths was marginally different: Victoria having a slightly greater fall than the ACT, presumably because it is having fewer multiple-death accidents.
The ACT stands out on two other measures. It has 6.52 deaths per 100,000 population, much less than the Australian average of 11.35. The next best was Victoria on 9.2 and the worse was the Northern Territory on 28.69. The ACT had 1.23 deaths per vehicles registered, much less than the Australian average of 2.04. The next best was Victoria on 1.40, and again the Northern Territory was worst with 7.45.
Various reasons have been given in the past for the ACT’s good record. They include good roads, annual car inspections and a different age profile. This week’s statistics reveal that the different age profile is probably not a factor. The ACT has a higher proportion of 17 to 25 year olds (a big road-death group) but a lower proportion of the other big road-death group, the over 60s, so they cancel out.
A more significant factor might be driver attitude. The ACT with higher education might have more responsible drivers and Victoria (the next best record) with its tougher laws might have cajoled its drivers into being more responsible.
The statistics show, however, that ACT motor-cyclists are a higher proportion of ACT deaths than in other states, but it is a small sample.