Latest government statistics point to an increase in articulated truck deaths, but there is a slight downward trend over three years
By Brad Gardner | May 5, 2011
Deaths involving articulated trucks increased in 2010, according to new government statistics, but there has been a slight decline over a three-year period.
The latest findings from the federal Department of Infrastructure and Transport show fatal crashes involving articulated trucks increased overall by 6 percent between September 2009 and September 2010.
However, the average number of fatal crashes fell by 3.4 percent between September 2007 and September 2010.
NSW reported the biggest decline of 7.8 percent, with Queensland experiencing a drop of 6.7 percent over the three year period. Conversely, fatal crashes in Victoria increased by 3 percent.
“During the 12 months to the end of September 2010, 250 people died from 209 crashes involving heavy trucks or buses,” the department says.
Overall, there were 153 deaths from 127 crashes involving articulated trucks.
According to the statistics, deaths from articulated truck crashes – where a person dies within 30 days of the incident – increased significantly between September 2009 and September 2010.
NSW recorded an increase in deaths from 46 to 59, which represents a 28.3 percent rise. Victoria’s death toll rose from 24 to 33, or by 37.5 percent.
Queensland recorded a 22.5 percent fall in the number of deaths, down from 40 to 31.
The figures also show that 84 people died from 68 crashes involving heavy rigid trucks. The latest findings represent a 13 percent fall overall in fatal crashes between September 2009 and September 2010.
Furthermore, fatal crashes involving heavy rigids overall have fallen by 5.1 percent between September 2007 and September 2010.
Over the three year period, the number of fatal crashes involving heavy rigids has fallen in NSW by 5.5 percent, 5.2 percent in Victoria and 8.7 percent in Queensland.
The figures show deaths from heavy rigid crashes in Queensland fell by 18.8 percent from 16 to 13 between September 2009 and September 2010.
The number of deaths in NSW climbed from 23 to 26 over the same period, representing a 13 percent increase. Deaths from heavy rigid crashes in Victoria increased from 20 to 21.