Editorial: Lowering the road toll?

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http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...715-1hgxj.html

From the editor: Lowering the road toll?
Toby Hagon
July 16, 2011

It's that predictable time of the year when the media focuses on the school holiday road toll and police focus on trying to convince the public to slow down to save lives. ''Urging'' is a word the media latches on to and one that loses its impact the more you hear it.

Here's a news flash - most people killed on our roads are not hoons. I'd guess most of them had generally obeyed the rules and many more had stuck to the speed limit - authorities have no statistics on how many fatalities are caused by breaking the speed limit, only how many were travelling too fast for the conditions.

About 0.3 per cent of motorists tested are over the 0.05 blood alcohol limit, yet a quarter of the Victorian drivers killed were found to be over the limit. And about 16 per cent of fatalities are a result of fatigue.

Yet our holiday road-safety messages centre on those flouting the law - in particular, those breaking the speed limit.

As safety experts will attest, a crash into a tree at 105km/h is likely to be just as fatal as one at 100km/h.

How about some more down-to-earth suggestions that could affect all motorists; such as maximising your concentration, ensuring children don't distract you on that long drive and properly preparing yourself and your car for the big trip?

I'm not suggesting it is the silver bullet for saving lives on our roads, but it would have to be more effective than the predictable messages from police urging drivers to slow down.

TOBY HAGON, NATIONAL MOTORING EDITOR