Don't Forget the Fatal Five

Published on 29 July 2021

One of the biggest challenges we face as a community is reducing fatalities and serious injury on our rural road network. Deaths on our country roads are closer to home than you think: while country residents make up only one-third of the NSW population, two-thirds of all fatalities occur on our country roads and more than 70 per cent of these fatal crashes involve country residents: The road toll is not just a number, it is real people and could include your family and friends.

There are five factors that impact death and injury on our local roads in the Temora Shire:

Fatigue is the number one behavioural factor contributing to 25.9 per cent of crashes in our shire. The only cure for fatigue is sleep.

Speed is the number two behavioural factor, with 24.1 per cent of all crashes in the Temora Shire being speed related. Speed increases both the risk of having a crash, as well as the severity of the crash outcome.

Drink and drug driving are two very significant behavioural factors contributing to death and serious injury on our local roads. In the Temora Shire, 7.4 per cent of all crashes involved alcohol and/or drugs.

Seatbelts save lives and although it is compulsory to wear seatbelts, tragically, 3.9 per cent of all crashes within the Temora Shire involved people not wearing a seatbelt. Seatbelts are important in preventing deaths and serious injuries in a crash and should be worn by all people, travelling in all vehicles.

Distractions while driving increase your chances of crashing. Being distracted slows down your reaction times and puts you in danger of failing to see hazards such as, wildlife, stop signs or other road users, including pedestrians and bicycle riders.

The choices we all make behind the wheel need to be smart and safe. All road users can make mistakes, but a mistake should never cost someone their life or their long term wellbeing.

For further information visit: roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/campaigns

Follow Temora Shire’s Road Safety Officer facebook.com/RoadSafetyInfo