Road deaths nationwide fell in June despite small rise in the number of fatal crashes during the daytime period
By Brad Gardner | July 19, 2010
The number of road deaths across Australia fell in June despite a small rise in the number of fatal crashes during the daytime period.
New crash statistics from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government highlight a 17.6 percent decline in road deaths in June 2010 compared to the same time last year.
According to the figures, there were 708 road deaths from January to June this year, a 9.7 percent decrease based on the same period in 2009.
The number of road deaths fell in all jurisdictions, with Queensland recording a 23.5 percent drop or eight fewer deaths in June this year compared to June 2009. The number of deaths in Victoria fell by four or 13.3 percent.
Day time was blamed for the majority of incidents, with 57.7 percent of deaths over a two-year period from July 2008 to June 2010.
It represents a more than 3 percent increase from 54.5 percent from July 2003 to June 2005.
Conversely, the number of deaths at night fell to 42.3 percent from 2008 to 2010, compared to 45.5 percent from July 2003 to June 2005.
Road crash deaths across most jurisdictions have declined over a five year period, with only Western Australia and the ACT exhibiting an increase.
The number of deaths in Tasmania over five years has fallen by 4.3 percent and by 3.9 percent in South Australia.
Nationwide, the number of deaths over five years has dropped 2.2 percent and by 7.3 percent, or 112 fewer deaths, between July 2009 and June 2010.
According to BITRE, deaths from January to June this year declined by 9.7 percent, with 76 fewer deaths.