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NSW cancels out fatal truck crash falls in other states

BITRE stats show spike keeping heavy truck totals steady

 

Standing still may be going forward in a statistical sense for heavy vehicle fatal-crash figures, given the number of trucks on the road continues to rise, but the dismal fact remains there has been no sustained improvement in numbers for four years.

The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics’ (BITRE) latest Fatal heavy vehicle crashes Australia quarterly bulletin shows fatal crashes involving heavy trucks rose 2.4 per cent is 2017, from 164 to 168, and fell by an average of 1.9 per cent a year for the preceding three years.

But the trend has been even since 2013, a year that saw fatals involving articulated and heavy rigid trucks fall from around 200.

Articulated fatal crashes rose 3.3 per cent last year, from 92 to 95, and fell an average of 2.7 per cent in each of the previous three years, while for heavy rigids, that was up 2.6 per cent, 77 to 79, and down 1.6 per year.

As has been the focus of sustained attention, New South Wales has seen all the articulated crash increase, up nearly 82 per cent, from 22 to 40, over a year in which 11 such crashes occurred in each of the first three quarters before subsiding to seven in the fourth.

However, the average for the years 2013-2015 was close to 30.

By contrast, the worst 2016 quarter was June, with seven.

Also well noted was that other states recorded fewer such crashes or were even, with Queensland and South Australia down 26 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.

Victoria and Western Australia were even at 20 and nine respectively.

It was a somewhat different story for heavy rigid fatal crashes.

NSW recorded a six per cent rise for the year, from 32 to 34, though the years 2013-2015 had totals of 24, 21 and 25.

All other states bar Western Australia, up from 11 to 14, showed falls, with Queensland and South Australia again showing the way down, with 15 and 37 per cent respectively.

Over the past three years, Victoria and South Austrlia have shown the greatest improvement, down 17 and 21 per cent respectively.

 

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