Risky behaviour behind the wheel is becoming increasingly normalised on regional roads, with a new national survey revealing 71 per cent of drivers admit to regularly breaking the law.
The research, released to mark the start of this year’s Fatality Free Friday campaign, found speeding remains the most common offence, with almost half of drivers admitting to travelling above the limit. Driving while fatigued and using a mobile phone were also identified as widespread behaviours.
Australian Road Safety Foundation chairman Russell White said the findings were a timely reminder for drivers to refocus on the basics.
The message is particularly relevant for motorists across the Hunter, with the region the worst-impacted for road fatalities in New South Wales. There’s also the considerationsn of long driving distances, high‑speed roads, and freight traffic, all of which increase crash risks.
There were more thab 550 crashes on our roads betweenn 2020 and 2024. More alarmingly, we’re currently tracking up to ten per cent above the five-year average for road fatalities.
Two-thirds of crashes on our Upper Hunter roads occur in 80km/h+ zones. The severity of crashes in Singleton and Muswellbrook is statistically higher than in metropolitan areas like Newcastle, with speeding and fatigue cited as the primary factors in approximately 42 per cent of serious injury crashes in the Upper Hunter.
Fatality Free Friday will be officially held this year on Friday, 29 May, with road safety groups encouraging all drivers and road users to commit to safer behaviour and help reduce deaths on NSW roads.
