Driving Change: The Push for Road Crash Data Sharing
Driving Change: The Push for Road Crash Data Sharing
In July 2020, my life changed forever when my 17-year-old son, Barney, was killed in a road crash on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. The young driver, a schoolmate of Barney's, was drunk, speeding, and showing off. This resulted in a fatal crash that not only claimed Barney's life but left a permanent scar on mine and many others. No one stepped in to stop the driver when many could have. Worse still, he showed no remorse, and his lawyer said ‘it’ was an accident.
Drawing from my heart-wrenching experience and the comprehensive study, "The Enduring Impact of Criminal Road Trauma in NSW," conducted by The Road Trauma Support Group NSW and FiftyFive5/Accenture, I must emphasise the critical need for systemic change. The research reveals a stark rise in road deaths, with a 25% increase in fatalities in 2023 alone. Many of these were due to criminal behaviours like speeding and drunk driving, highlighting an urgent need for policy reform. None of these criminal acts were accidents, and all were avoidable.
The research findings indicate a desperate need to shift how we perceive and handle road safety. A system-wide approach, with an emphasis on both individual responsibility and safer systems, is required. Focusing solely on individual behaviour change has limitations, and a broader, systemic perspective can create more significant and lasting improvements.
Current penalties for fatal road crimes are shockingly lenient, often not aligning with the severity of the loss and the ongoing trauma experienced by the victims' families. For example, more than half of the drivers responsible for these fatalities do not serve jail time, undermining the deterrent effect of our legal system.
In response to these challenges, I fully support the initiative proposed by Federal Transport Minister Catherine King for states to share road crash data openly. This transparency is crucial as it could lead to safer road system policies and strategies. Today’s meeting of state and territory transport ministers is a critical opportunity to advocate for this change, which could significantly impact our community's safety and well-being.
Data sharing can provide insights into the causes and conditions leading to road crashes, thereby enabling targeted interventions. It could transform road safety management, ensuring that decisions are informed by real-world data rather than political convenience. For myself and countless others affected by road trauma, this change cannot come soon enough. By implementing these data-driven strategies, we can work towards a future where road safety is prioritised and fewer families have to endure the devastating loss of a loved one.
Duncan Wakes-Miller
RTSG Founding Member
6 June, 2024