Australia calls for road data sharing initiatives

The campaign is supported by 18 nat’l organisations, including insurers.

New figures showing an 11.2% annual increase in road deaths underscore the need for state governments to comply with Federal demands to share crucial data on the causes of road trauma. 

Federal Transport Minister Catherine King has allocated $21m in the latest budget to enhance the National Road Safety Data Hub, supporting data transparency and linking federal road funding to state projects.

The Australia Automobile Association (AAA) launched its Data Saves Lives road safety data transparency campaign in October 2023. 

The campaign is supported by the nation’s motoring clubs, and 18 national organisations representing insurers, motorists, motorcyclists, truckers, pedestrians, doctors, road engineers and safety advocates.

Australia's peak motoring body highlights this as essential for enhancing road safety.

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The Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics reports that 1,310 people died on Australian roads in the year to April 30, up from 1,178 the previous year, marking the highest death toll since November 2012. 

Notable increases include NSW (31.2%), the Northern Territory (35.3%), Victoria (12.4%), Queensland (5.7%), and South Australia (9.8%).

AAA Managing Director Michael Bradley emphasised the necessity of states reporting data on crash causes, road quality, and policing effectiveness for better road safety measures. 

The Federal Government plans to include data transparency clauses in the upcoming five-year intergovernmental road funding agreement starting in July.

Bradley pointed out the urgent need for a data-driven response to road trauma, which claims over 100 lives each month. 

He noted that while Queensland has agreed to provide road safety data, other states have not yet committed. Data sharing would identify effective safety measures and prioritise necessary interventions, preventing the politicisation of road funding.