Queensland road toll: regional deaths disproportionately high

It's a shocking statistic.

To be exact, an average of 68 per cent of driver fatalities occurred outside of the three biggest cities from 2016 to 2020, ABS data shows.

Sadly, the trend has continued this year.

Sixty-four of the 88 deaths recorded so far in 2023 occurred on roads outside of the policing areas of Brisbane and the south east (Logan, Gold Coast), according to the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Defining where 'urban' areas end and 'regional' areas begin is complex.

Statistical analyses commonly use the Australian Statistical Geography Standard's five remoteness levels: major cities; inner regional (such as Toowoomba); outer regional (Townsville); remote (Roma); and very remote (Mount Isa).

The numbers show most of the carnage occurs in the inner regional and outer regional areas.

Last year, the deadliest electorates were Cook and Nanango, with 15 deaths in each.

They were followed by Burdekin (14), Mirani (13), Hill (12), Callide, Condamine and Glass House (10), Maryborough and Scenic Rim (9), Southern Downs and Warrego (8), Gregory, Gympie and Logan (7), and Burnett, Coomera and Jordan (6).

Queensland road policing group Acting Superintendent Peter Flanders said driving on roads outside of the major cities provided unique challenges and potential dangers.

"Regional and remote roads offer an entirely dynamic and challenging driving environment, significantly different from a metropolitan one," Mr Flanders said.

"Despite the populations of regional areas being much lower than city areas, road trauma is disproportionately high, possibly exacerbated by driving long distances at higher speeds with the assumption both are safe practices."

Fatigue is estimated to be the primary contributing factor in 30pc of fatal crashes on rural roads, according to the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety, which looks at Australia as a whole.

"Longer travel distances and associated driving time in rural areas lead to increased risk of fatigue," it says.

"The sparse roadside environment in rural and remote areas may also lead to a sense of 'monotony' and fatigue-like effects."

Distraction is another major driver, with a North Queensland study of hospitalised road users finding that 30pc of rural drivers reported being distracted prior to the crash.

CARRS says when it comes to rural crashes, male motorists are overrepresented.

"Young drivers 17-24 years are at an elevated level of crash risk generally, but male drivers and riders aged 30-50 years make up the majority of serious rural road crash casualties," it says.

Looking at the most dangerous times on the roads, CARRS says most casualty crashes occur during daylight hours and more occur on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday than other days of the week.

Most rural crashes involve local residents, with only a very small proportion of crashes attributable to international or interstate visitors, and most rural crashes are single-vehicle crashes, particularly run-off-road crashes.

RACQ road safety and technical manager Joel Tucker said the road toll should be rapidly decreasing, not on the rise, and that the cause of many crashes was still the 'fatal five' - speeding, drink/drug driving, driving fatigued, no seatbelt, and being distracted.

"This shows us that our road environments are not forgiving enough for people to engage in activities that increase their risk of crashing, or to make mistakes, or wrong decisions," he said.

"We need to remember those who didn't survive their last trip on the roads and make a commitment to getting back to the basics - sticking to the road rules and doing whatever we can to make road safety our priority. These are all very simple things that we can do to make the roads a lot safer and bring down the horrific road toll.

"This week we want motorists to make a promise to always drive as though your loved ones are on the road ahead."

IN THE NEWS: