Fatal Road Crimes: When Reckless Choices Destroy Lives
Fatal Road Crimes: When Reckless Choices Destroy Lives
Every day, Australians get behind the wheel, often unaware of how one reckless decision can change lives forever. For Tom Daher and Ian Rooney, the consequences of criminal driving behaviour became painfully clear when they lost their loved ones in avoidable crashes. Their stories highlight the profound and enduring impact of road trauma, reinforcing the urgent need for legislative reform, public awareness, and systemic change.
Every year, 340 people are killed on NSW roads—nearly one person every day. The ripple effect of these tragedies is staggering: 1.8 million adults in NSW personally know someone who has been killed on the roads, 280,657 of those know someone who died because another driver broke the law, a figure up 11.8% from 2022. These statistics highlight the pressing need for stronger laws and preventative measures to reduce the devastating toll of reckless driving.
In 2017, Tannous Daher died as he lived—while performing one of his routine acts of charity. The 83-year-old grandfather was helping his brother-in-law landscape his front garden when he was struck by a drug-affected driver of a 6.5-tonne tip truck. The driver crossed double lines into oncoming traffic, swiped a car, mounted a curb, and hit him. Tannous suffered catastrophic head and internal injuries and died at the scene.
His son, Tom Daher, is calling for urgent reform. “This was not an accident. It was a preventable crime, enabled by weak laws and a failure to hold offenders accountable,” says Daher. “The driver had taken a large amount of prescription drugs and had a known medical condition that made him unfit to drive. Yet, he was allowed behind the wheel of a 6.5-tonne vehicle. How many more lives must be lost before the system recognises these acts as serious crimes?”
Statistics from research by the Road Trauma Support Group NSW (RTSG) and FiftyFive5AccentureSong show that 46% of fatal road crimes involve drink or drug driving. Tom Daher’s fight for change is about ensuring stronger deterrents and systemic accountability, so no other family endures this kind of preventable loss.
Jessica Rooney, a young mother of four, was taken too soon. She was driving with three of her children when a speeding driver failed to see her car and slammed into it. Jessica was trapped inside, and her children were left unconscious, covered in blood, and in shock.
“Our world was shattered,” says Ian Rooney, Jessica’s father. “She was a devoted mother who gave everything to her children. The driver who took her life made a reckless decision, and now, her children must grow up without her.”
Speeding contributes to 71% of fatal road crimes. The RTSG’s research found that many Australians support tougher penalties for dangerous driving, with 64% believing that those responsible for road deaths should be charged with vehicular manslaughter. The Rooney family’s story underscores the need for legal reforms that ensure real accountability for those whose actions lead to such devastating consequences.
Beyond immediate grief, families of road trauma victims face lifelong consequences. RTSG research reveals that 59% of victims’ loved ones experience mental health challenges such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Additionally, 43% report the loss of friendships, and nearly 1 in 4 face family breakdowns. “The loss of a loved one due to criminal driving behaviour is not just a momentary event; it leads to enduring psychological, financial, and emotional hardships,” says Tom Daher.
RTSG, through its research papers and Law Reform Manifesto, has outlined urgent reforms to address systemic failures. These include:
New Serious Road Crimes Act – Establishing singular legislation that streamlines the legal process for fatal road crimes.
Stronger Sentencing Guidelines – Ensuring penalties reflect the severity of reckless driving deaths.
Mandatory Road Fatality Reporting – Implementing a publicly accessible database on road deaths to improve road safety measures.
Ending the Language of Denial – Replacing the word ‘accident’ with ‘vehicular homicide’ where applicable.
Victim Impact Panels – Ensuring serious offenders face the families of those they have harmed to foster accountability.
Mandatory Alcohol Interlocks – Requiring all convicted drink drivers to install interlock devices.
Judicial Accountability – Reducing sentencing discretion and increasing transparency in judicial decisions related to fatal road crimes.
Enhanced Support for Victims – Overhauling the Compulsory Third Party Insurance Scheme.
Comprehensive Road Safety Education – Implementing long-term driver education programs starting in schools.
Accountability for Transport Authorities – Holding road authorities responsible for unsafe road conditions contributing to fatalities.
If the drivers responsible for taking the lives of Tannous and Jessica had taken just one extra minute to consider the impact of their decisions, these tragedies could have been avoided. Reckless driving choices don’t just affect one person—they devastate families, communities, and entire generations.
The Road Trauma Support Group NSW is dedicated to advocating for victims of road trauma and fighting for urgent legislative change. “We cannot allow preventable deaths to be dismissed as mere accidents,” says Tom Daher. “These are crimes that deserve serious legal consequences.”
To support these reforms and stand with victims of road trauma, visit the RTSG NSW website or sign the petition for justice at: https://www.change.org/t/road-trauma-support-group-en-au
28 February, 2025