2010 Record Low Road Toll

02 Feb 2011

MEDIA RELEASE: 2nd February 2011

Victoria again recorded a record low road toll for the second year running after police released final figures yesterday.

The revised total of 287 deaths is four less than the provisional total of 291, and was finalized after the Road Fatality Review Panel met late last month.

Road Policing Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe announced the record low and said road safety partners would focus on speed, heavy vehicles and motorcycle trauma this year.

The Transport Accident Commission's (TAC) Head of Community Relations, Phil Reed, said the biggest challenge to further reduce the road toll this year would be to change people's attitudes.

"Speed is the number one killer on our roads and it is time for motorists to wake up and realize that traveling even just a little bit over the limit can be deadly," Mr Reed said.

"We have succeeded at making drink driving socially unacceptable, now it is time to do the same with speeding."

Last week the TAC released results from an annual survey indicating that one in four Victorians consider driving 10 km over the speed limit in a 100km zone to be socially acceptable.

"While the community tends to view more excessive speeding, such as 40 km per hour over the limit as unacceptable, there still appears to be some tolerance of low level speeding. This seems to be particularly the case in the higher speed zones," Mr Reed said.

"It is up to every individual to do their bit to ensure this year will again be a record low."

For more information click on the link below or contact Sarah Henderson on 0429 294 262.

http://www.tacsafety.com.au/jsp/statistics/roadtollannual.do?areaID=12&tierID=1&navID=17