Comments on: Victoria tops holiday road tolls

By: Cupid Stunt

Cupid Stunt — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:52:38 +0000

My guess those inceased numbers in NT could be a result of the speed limits, but basing statistics on just two years is a bit short sigted. Given time folk will get used to travelling slower, then won’t be so dependant on “watching the speedo” and not paying attention.

Doubling merit points is just sooo short sighted, what a foolish statement to make. Guess it menes the marginals will be forced off the road, lose their jobs then claim the social benefits to become a burden on society. Good thinking Eh!

By: TasM

TasM — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 04:34:55 +0000

This may have something to do with road enforcement rules that only allow a small window of 4km/h causing drivers to look down at their speedometer so often they can’t concentrate on the road.

Road rules should be targetted at dangerous driving, not the inavertant overspeeding of a few kms per hour on a straight peice of road somewhere purely to raise revenue.

Driver education and rational and flexible laws should be the foundation of victorian road safety. Police and the VicRoads should be targeting ‘hoon’ behaviour and dangerous driving by severly punishing exessive speeding in built up areas and during busy freeway times. On the other hand they can be flexible to drivers that may have gone over the posted limited by a few kms.

A sensible apporach (rather than a revenue focused approach) may help reduce this trangic number in the future… my 2 cents.

By: summerschool

summerschool — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 08:08:04 +0000

speed camera wont stop drink driving, incompetent drivers and idiots from taking the wheel.

my call for driver education, better roads, signs and alcohol free zone!

By: Peter

Peter — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 06:13:06 +0000

Broken record, driver training!

By: Alex

Alex — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:55:08 +0000

They need more speed cameras!!!

By: KC

KC — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 13:42:22 +0000

Its called Car Advice.com.au not Car Reviews.com.au

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:26:11 +0000

CA,
Apparently the Viva has been dropped from Holdens lineup.

How about a story on that rather than multiple off topic “horror road toll” articles………

By: Andrew M

Andrew M — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:20:05 +0000

Why is this site becoming a general news site???

I see enough of these sort of articles plastered all over the news, i dont come here to read about it.

I gritted my teeth at the last couple that were posted, but now another one???
Get back to the car reviews……(please)

By: Geni

Geni — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:19:57 +0000

I’m a bit surprised Victoria got the gong, I mean Victorian roads are a fair bit better than NSW roads, and NSW has a bigger population. Nothing will stop these levels of fatalities each year except for actual attitude change in all drivers, not 99% of drivers, all drivers. I don’t even think better roads would help, they’d be nice, but most accidents happen because people spear off the road from lack of attention or fatigue or losing control. Having less things to run into would reduce the number of fatalities, but with such a huge road network, i doubt the government would ever attempt it. I mean look how long its taking to make the Hume highway dual carriageway.

Only when *everyone* starts concentrating 100% when they drive, and actually realise they are controlling a 1 – 2 tonne potential weapon and not just sitting in the lounge room, then we might reduce accidents a meaningful amount.

Given the number of drink driving and no seat belt convictions in NT, I reckon minimising the amount of time they’re on the road would greatly reduce their road toll. Give em unlimited speed limits everywhere i reckon, less time to kill themselves and others, pack of maniacs.

By: Jerome

Jerome — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:08:12 +0000

Maybe its time they just realize that this is the lowest it can get. There will always be accidents or people wanting to kill themselves via car crash and no matter how much training, upgrades, rules, penalties, ect there will always be x number of death per year.

Considering There were 137,900 deaths registered in Australia in 2007 – only 1604 where killed on the road.

The seven priority areas that cause death in OZ are arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions, asthma, cancer control, cardiovascular health, diabetes mellitus, injury prevention and control, and mental health. In 2006, deaths associated with the seven National Health Priority Areas accounted for 77.4% of all underlying causes of death and were either associated with or the underlying cause of 90.8% of deaths.

So forget spending billions on roads, ads, more police, radar cameras ect and spend it on building some more god damn hospitals and medical research so we can save 120 000 people and not just 1 600 from road deaths.