Upload
abc-news-online
View
60.890
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
The Australian Automobile Association's latest report on the state of Australia's national highways.
Citation preview
how Safe are our Roads?Rating Australia’s National Network for Riskbenchmarking the performance of australia’s roads in the Decade of action
2011
an average of four people are killed on australia’s roads each day
Road crashes cost our community $74 million every day
a road system where we have five star drivers in five star cars on five star roads should involve no deaths
ausRaP aspires to help australia become a nation free of high risk roads.
Everyday drivers making everyday mistakes should not die or be seriously injured as a consequence of an unsafe road
Engineering measures to improve safety don’t have to be high cost ones and best of all - they last decades
over 20,000 kms of australia’s highways have been rated for risk
The roads assessed in this report represent just three per cent of australia’s road length, but recorded over 15 per cent of all fatalities
Just nine per cent of roads assessed qualify as a most improved road
17 per cent of the roads assessed have shown little or no improvement and are persistently high risk
Why Road Safety is Important ................................... 2
About AusRAP ............................................................ 3
Simple Measures Save Lives ..................................... 4
Rating Australia’s Network for Risk .......................... 5
How Safe are our Roads? Results ............................. 7
Tracking the Safety Performance of
Australia ............................................................. 10
New South Wales ................................................ 12
Victoria ................................................................ 16
Queensland ......................................................... 20
South Australia ................................................... 24
Western Australia ............................................... 28
Tasmania ............................................................. 32
Northern Territory .............................................. 36
Australian Capital Territory ................................ 40
Appendix – Complete Results .................................. 42
Contents
Exclusion of liability
The material in this report is not intended to be relied upon as advice, and in particular the Authors and Publishers accept no responsibility for loss
or injury suffered by any person as a consequence, direct or indirect, of anything contained in this report.
2
many road crashes involve sudden loss, untold suffering and financial hardship, and they change the lives of people forever. Safe personal travel should be a key feature of modern society but unless road tragedy personally touches us or our loved ones, we sometimes don’t reflect on how big a problem it is.
Across Australia around 1,400 people are killed each year and more than 32,500 are hospitalised. This averages four deaths and nearly 90 serious injuries on Australian roads and costs our community $74 million each and every day.
Most crashes occur when ordinary people make everyday human mistakes. It has been estimated that around 1 in 500 driving decisions can be wrong, involving a mistake, an error of judgement, a missed signal or the like. Sober, drug-free, responsible drivers obeying the speed limit and wearing seatbelts frequently die on our roads. Safe roads minimise the chances of these crashes happening, and if they do occur, they minimise the severity of the crash. Engineering measures to improve safety don’t have to be high cost and best of all, they last decades!
We need to create a genuinely safe road system, in which improving the safety of drivers, vehicles and roads is of mutual importance. A road system where we have five star drivers, in five star cars on five star roads should involve no deaths.
It is estimated that of all road fatalities which can be avoided through improved safety, half of these would be achieved through road upgrades including investment in new road construction and expenditure on safety-related works. Australia’s National Road Safety Strategy 2011-2020 recognises the critical need to improve road infrastructure, particularly those road features which are designed to reduce run-off-road, intersection and head-on crashes.
Making this happen requires the commitment of politicians, based on support from the public, funding from treasury, road authority action, and the design and construction skills of road engineers.
The Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP) is here to help all of these stakeholders, and aspires to help Australia become a nation free of high risk roads.
Why Road Safety is important
3how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011
about ausRaP
ausRaP is a program run by the australian automobile association and State and Territory motoring clubs, dedicated to saving lives through advocating for safer road infrastructure.
AusRAP’s objectives are to:
• reduce deaths and injuries on Australia’s roads by systematically assessing risk and identifying safety shortcomings that can be addressed with practical road-improvement measures; and
• put risk assessment at the heart of strategic decisions on road improvements, crash protection and standards of road management.
AusRAP works in partnership with government and non-government organisations to:
• inspect national and state highways and develop Star Ratings and Safer Roads Investment Plans;
• track road safety performance through risk maps so that funding agencies can assess the benefits of their investments; and
• explain the benefits of safer road infrastructure to the community by describing why some roads are safer than others.
AusRAP uses two complementary methods—or protocols—for assessing the safety of roads: Star Ratings and Risk Mapping.
Risk Mapping is a measure of the real-life performance of a road network because it is based on crashes which have actually occurred. These crashes are a result of factors related to driver behaviour, the vehicle and the safety of the road infrastructure (see page 5 for more detail).
Comparing two risk maps over time is known as Performance Tracking, which is the focus of this report.
Star Ratings measure the inherent safety of a road’s infrastructure – that is, the degree to which built in safety
features prevent crashes from occurring and reduce the severity of those crashes which do occur. Each road is then assigned a Star Rating, which tells us how safe the road itself is. For more information on Star Ratings visit www.ausrap.org.
ausRaP – contributing to the Decade of actionThe Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 encourages all countries to set a target of ‘Eliminating High
Risk Roads by 2020’. AusRAP aspires to help Australia become a nation free of high risk roads.
This vision will be achieved through working with governments and government agencies, motoring Club Members and the wider community, peak national and state road user groups and the research community to highlight road safety infrastructure issues and potential solutions.
AusRAP will extend road assessments and monitor the implementation of road improvements across Australia’s National Highway Network (about 22,000kms) and many State and Territory highways during the Decade of Action for Road Safety.
AusRAP’s membership and close ties to iRAP, the International Road Assessment Program, opens the door to a world of best practice and innovative safety improvements internationally. AusRAP is a valued member of the iRAP Board and the Global Technical Committee. As a founding iRAP program, AusRAP is a leader in the iRAP Asia Pacific Region and through our relationship with iRAP and FIA, we will continue to assist emerging RAP programs in our region.
4
Simple measures Save lives
The safety of road infrastructure depends on many factors including the width of the road, whether there are curves and crests, line marking, the presence and type of any intersections, roadside hazards, overtaking provision and whether head-on collisions are avoided
through the use of medians and safety barriers, rather than relying on a splash of white paint.
The safety features of a road are not always obvious to motorists but they do make a huge difference as explained below.
Undivided roads with only one lane in each direction make it riskier to overtake. Freeways with wide medians and safety barriers can safely handle much higher traffic volumes with virtually no chance of a head-on crash.
If a driver moves out of their lane, sealing shoulders offers extra space to recover. Unsealed or narrow shoulders are unforgiving of simple mistakes, and can lead to loss of control, running off the road, or head-on into traffic.
Line marking and signs provide guidance to drivers about the road direction and assists the driver to make appropriate decisions.
Roadside killers such as trees, poles and steep embankments can turn what would be a minor crash into a severe one. If these hazards can’t be removed, installing safety barriers can dramatically lower the risk.
Roads with lots of intersections are less safe because of an increased risk of crashes with side-road traffic. Low risk intersections have separate turning lanes and are clearly visible day and night. The best intersections have freeway-style on and off ramps.
5
in total, we have analysed more than 20,000 km of highways which represents three per cent of the total road network in australia. These carry over 15 per cent of the nation’s road traffic and experienced 1,170 road crash deaths, or 15 per cent of all road deaths in australia during the period 2005-2009.
This AusRAP analysis focuses on casualty crashes that occurred between 2005 and 2009 on rural sections of the National Land Transport Network and significant connecting roads. These are generally defined as being those with a speed limit of 90km/h or more, though some lower speed limit sections are included where they form an integral part of an otherwise higher speed route.
The results of this report are presented in six parts:
• performance tracking
• national risk maps
• summary of results
• State and Territory risk maps
• best and worst links
• complete results
Performance trackingPerformance Tracking uses the data compiled for each risk map to assess how the risk on the network, as a whole, and on individual road sections, had changed over time. It is a way of measuring success and the effectiveness of investment in safer roads. This report looks at how risk on the Australian Network has changed from 2000-2004 to 2005-2009, as well as identifying the ‘most improved’ and ‘persistently higher risk’ roads.
Rating australia’s network for Risk
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011
6
To achieve a ‘most improved’ rating a road link for this study requires two criteria to be met. These are as follows:
1. There must be a significant reduction in casualty crashes from the first period (2000 – 2004) to the second period (2005 – 2009), at the 98 per cent level. This is effectively an indicator for performance of the collective risk.
2. The risk rating for individual risk should show a reduction in the rating and must be no higher than a medium score for the latest period.
To be identified as having a ‘persistently higher risk’, a road link must satisfy the following two criteria:
1. There is no significant reduction in casualty crashes from the first period (2000 – 2004) to the second period (2005 – 2009) at the 98 per cent level.
2. The calculated risk score for individual risk in both analysis periods is in the Medium-High or High risk rating range.
national risk mapsAusRAP uses two types of colour coded risk maps to illustrate relative levels of risk throughout road networks:
• Collective risk maps show the density, or total number, of casualty crashes over a given length of road. Collective risk is calculated by dividing the number of casualty crashes per annum by the length of highway.
• Individual risk maps show the casualty crash rates per vehicle kilometre travelled – and so effectively represent the risk faced by an individual driver. Individual risk is calculated by dividing the frequency of crashes per annum by the distance travelled on each section of highway per annum.
The colours and thresholds used in the maps to denote relative levels of risk are shown below in Table 1.
Previous risk mapping reports provide further details on the specific method used to produce the risk maps. These reports are available at www.ausrap.org.
The crash and traffic volume data used in risk map reports was obtained from the road authority in each State and Territory. While there is consistency in the definition of
a fatality between States and Territories (that is, death occurs within 30 days of the crash), jurisdictions report the severity of non-fatal crashes differently. In addition, the way a person’s injury is actually categorised at the crash scene can vary.
To address this definitional problem, the risk maps presented in this report measure ‘casualty crashes’. A casualty crash is defined here as any road crash in which at least one person is killed or injured and this includes serious injuries which typically represent one third of casualty crashes.
Summary resultsThis report presents national and State and Territory maps. For each State and Territory, the length of road analysed, numbers of casualty crashes and number of deaths that occurred on each highway during 2005-2009 are also provided in a table.
The summary results also provide a brief overview of some of the major highway upgrades that have been completed recently, or are planned by State/Territory and Federal Governments. The focus is on projects that are likely to improve the safety of the national network.
best and worst linksThe collective and individual risk measures are particularly useful when used together to tell a ‘combined story’. Roads that score poorly on both measures—having relatively high collective and individual risk—might be considered as candidates for investment, and as roads where drivers should exercise extra care.
The ‘best’ links are those that are in the low or low-medium band for both collective and individual risk. The ‘worst’ links are those that are in the high or medium-high band for both collective and individual risk.
Complete resultsComplete, detailed results are provided at the end of this report in an Appendix. These results include information on lengths of road, carriageway type, traffic volume, casualty crashes, deaths and risk ratings for individual sections of each highway.
TablE 1: ColouRS anD ThRESholDS uSED in RiSk maPS
Risk rating Collective risk (average annual casualty crashes per km)
individual risk (average annual casualty crashes per 100m veh-km)
low < 0.03 < 6.85
low-medium 0.03 – 0.10 6.85 – 9.56
medium 0.10 – 0.17 9.56 – 12.34
medium-high 0.17 – 0.29 12.34 – 16.44
high > 0.29 >16.44
7how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011
Tracking the Safety Performance of australia’s RoadsSince 2005, AAA and the State and Territory Motoring Clubs have been mapping the rate of death and serious injury on Australia’s main highways. This year, for the first time, and to coincide with the start of the Decade of Action, we have tracked how these risk rates have changed across Australia. For this report, crash and traffic data for the period 2000-2004 has been compared to 2005-2009.
Figure 1 shows the number change in collective risk between the two periods. It is pleasing to see that in 2005-2009 more of the network rated as low risk than in 2000-2004. However, more of the network also rated high risk in 2005-2009, which is a concern for Australian motorists.
Figure 2 shows the change in individual risk between the two periods. The results show that less of the network rated in the two highest risk categories in 2005-2009. The overall risk has dropped substantially in the medium-high risk (down by 15 per cent) and high risk (down by six per cent) categories.
how Safe are our Roads? Results
50%45%40%35%30%25%20%15%10%5%0%
2000-2004Australia’s Collective Risk Rating
Australia’s Individual Risk Rating
2005-2009
Low Low-medium Medium Medium-high High
Risk Rating
26%
21%
39%
46%
11% 9% 11% 11% 12%14%%
of n
etw
ork
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
2000-2004
2005-2009
Low Low-medium Medium Medium-high High
Risk Rating
12%
19%
15%
23%20%
27%30%
15%
23%
17%
% o
f net
wor
k
50%45%40%35%30%25%20%15%10%5%0%
2000-2004Australia’s Collective Risk Rating
Australia’s Individual Risk Rating
2005-2009
Low Low-medium Medium Medium-high High
Risk Rating
26%
21%
39%
46%
11% 9% 11% 11% 12%14%%
of n
etw
ork
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
2000-2004
2005-2009
Low Low-medium Medium Medium-high High
Risk Rating
12%
19%
15%
23%20%
27%30%
15%
23%
17%
% o
f net
wor
k
Figure 1: Tracking the performance of Australia’s highways for collective risk (average annual casualty crashes per km)
Figure 2: Tracking the performance of Australia’s highways for individual risk (average annual casualty crashes per 100 M veh-km)
8
‘most improved’ Sections of highway‘Most improved’ sections of highway are those where there has been a significant reduction in the number of fatal and serious crashes over time. Just nine per cent of the kilometres analysed this year qualified as an improved road. The top 15 ‘most improved’ sections of highway are shown in Table 2. On these highways alone, the number of casualty crashes dropped from 963 to 424 – a 56 per cent drop.
TablE 2: ‘moST imPRovED’ SECTionS of highWay
Rank
State
highway from-to Type
Casualty crashes
individual Risk Rating
Casualty crashes
individual Risk Rating
Change in casualty crashes
2000-2004 2005-2009
1 Northern Territory Victoria Highway Timber Creek to WA
border Single 18 high 4 low -77.8%
2 Victoria Princes Highway East Pakenham to Warragul [1] Dual 157 medium 36 low -77.1%
3 Tasmania Bass Highway Forth River Bridge to Knights Rd Single 33 medium-
high 9 low -72.7%
4 Victoria Calder Highway Sunraysia Hwy to Mildura Single 54 medium-high 18 low -66.7%
5 Victoria Calder Highway Woodend to Pyrenees Hwy Dual 57 medium 21 low -63.2%
6 Victoria Calder Highway Wedderburn to Culgoa Single 23 medium-high 9 low -60.9%
7 Queensland Flinders Hwy Richmond to Julia Creek Single 28 high 11 medium -60.7%
=8 Northern Territory Barkly Highway Wunara to QLD border Single 25 high 10 medium-
high -60.0%
=8 Northern Territory Stuart Highway Pine Creek to Katherine Single 50 medium-
high 20 low-medium -60.0%
9 Western Australia
Great Northern/Victoria Highway
NW Coastal T/Off to Sandfire Roadhouse Single 35 medium-
high 15 low -57.1%
10 Victoria Princes Highway West Little River to Geelong Dual 61 low 28 low -54.1%
11 Northern Territory Stuart Highway Katherine to Daly Waters Single 46 medium-
high 25 medium -45.7%
12 South Australia Dukes Highway Tailem Bend to Keith Single 95 medium 54 low -43.2%
13 New South Wales Hume Highway Coolac to Tarcutta Mixed 96 low-
medium 55 low -42.7%
14 New South Wales Pacific Highway Nabiac to Taree Dual 87 medium-
high 50 low-medium -42.5%
15 New South Wales F6 Freeway Waterfall to Bulli Dual 98 low-
medium 59 low -39.8%
[1] This segment has been shortened from previous years to exclude the Pakenham Bypass which opened in December 2007, as this section is now considered more urban in nature.
Ranked by percentage reduction in the number of casualty crashes between 2000-2004 and 2005-2009; significant reduction in the number of casualty crashes between data periods at the 98% confidence level; section lengths are greater than 7km; AusRAP Risk Rating based on the number of casualty crashes per 100 million vehicle km travelled: black (high risk), red (medium-high risk), orange (medium risk), yellow (low-medium risk), green (low risk).
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 9
‘Persistently higher Risk’ Sections of highway‘Persistently higher’ risk sections of highway are those rated high or medium-high risk in both data periods surveyed. They have shown little or no change over time. Nineteen per cent of the kilometres analysed this year qualified. Of the top 15 listed in Table 3, casualty crashes have risen by an average of three per cent.
TablE 3: ‘PERSiSTEnTly highER RiSk’ SECTionS of highWay
Rank
State
highway from-to Type
Casualty crashes
individual Risk Rating
Casualty crashes
individual Risk Rating
Change in casualty crashes
2000-2004 2005-2009
1 Queensland Warrego/Landsborough/Barkly Hwy Mt Isa to NT border Single 30 high 43 high 43.3%
43.3%
2 Northern Territory Stuart Highway Alice Springs to SA border Single 41 medium-
high 50 high 22.0%
3 South Australia Dukes Highway Bordertown to VIC Border Single 12 medium-
high 13 high 8.3%
4 Queensland Warrego/Landsborough/Barkly Hwy Winton to Flinders Hwy Single 27 medium-
high 23 high -14.8%
5 New South Wales
Great Western/Mitchell Highway Lapstone to Katoomba Mixed 405 high 397 high -2.0%
6 South Australia Stuart Highway NT Border to Coober Pedy Single 41 high 45 high 9.8%
7 Queensland Flinders Hwy Julia Creek to Barkly Hwy Single 17 high 15 high -11.8%
8 South Australia Eyre Highway Yalata to Fowler Bay Single 16 high 11 high -31.3%
9 Queensland Bruce Highway St Lawrence to Sarina Single 78 medium-high 89 high 14.1%
10 Tasmania Bass Highway Victoria Bridge to Forth River Bridge Single 45 high 48 medium-
high6.7%
11 Queensland New England/Cunningham Hwy Kalbar to Warwick Single 89 high 98 medium-
high10.1%
12 South Australia Sturt Highway Barmera to Berri Single 8 medium-
high 12 medium-high
50.0%
12 Tasmania Bass Highway Nine Mile Rd to Stowport Rd Dual 31 high 33 medium-
high6.5%
14 South Australia Stuart Highway Woomera to Port Augusta Single 46 high 38 medium-
high-17.4%
15 Western Australia
Great Northern/Victoria Highway
Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek Single 29 high 29 medium-
high0.0%
Ranked by AusRAP Risk Rating 2005-2009; no significant reduction in the number of casualty crashes between data periods; section lengths are greater than 7km; AusRAP Risk Rating above average of the medium-high (red) category or high risk (black) category in both data periods; AusRAP Risk Rating based on the number of fatal or serious crashes per 100 million vehicle km travelled: black (high risk), red (medium-high risk), orange (medium risk), yellow (low-medium risk), green (low risk); Some of the roads listed may have had measures implemented since 2009.
10
The map below presents the collective risk rating for the network assessed across Australia. The map on the following page presents the individual risk for the network assessed across Australia.
CollECTivE RiSk RaTingS, auSTRalia, 2005-09
FIguRe 3: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated [1]
low w 46%
low-medium 21%
medium 9%
medium-high 11%
high 14%
[1] Throughout this report, percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding
australia
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 11
inDiviDual RiSk RaTingS, auSTRalia, 2005-09
FIguRe 4: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR 100M VeH-kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 23%
low-medium 19%
medium 27%
medium-high 15%
high 17%
12
Ten highways were assessed in new South Wales, totalling 3,706km in length. The length of each highway and the number of casualty crashes and deaths that occurred during 2005-2009 are shown in Table 4.
TablE 4: highWayS RaTED in nEW SouTh WalES
highway from - to length Casualty crashes Deaths
km % 2005-2009 % 2005-2009 %
Barton Hwy Hume Highway to ACT border 38 1% 48 1% 6 2%
F3 Hawkesbury River to New England Highway 105 3% 563 10% 21 5%
F6 Waterfall to Wollongong (via Mt Ousley Rd) 39 1% 236 4% 5 1%
Federal Hwy Hume Highway to ACT border 66 2% 108 2% 6 2%
Great Western / Mitchell Hwy Lapstone to Dubbo 305 8% 1,040 19% 39 10%
Hume Hwy Narrellan Rd to Albury 485 13% 769 14% 56 14%
New England Hwy Branxton to QLD border 499 13% 535 10% 40 10%
Newell Hwy VIC border to QLD border 986 27% 456 8% 59 15%
Pacific Hwy Hexham to Chinderah 611 16% 1,596 29% 128 33%
Sturt Hwy Hume Highway to Mildura 572 15% 249 4% 30 8%
Total 3,706 100% 5,600 100% 390 100%
The 3,706km long network in New South Wales represents 18 per cent of the total network assessed and the 390 deaths that occurred on these sections of the New South Wales network during 2005-2009 account for 33 per cent of the national network total.
The collective risk map on the following page shows that many of NSW’s highways are rated as medium-high or high risk, with only the Newell Highway and Sturt Highway rating better than this for most of their length.
In terms of individual risk, NSW highways fare much better with the majority rating low or low-medium. Exceptions to this include the Great Western / Mitchell Hwy and the Sturt Highway from the Hume Highway to Narrandera, although some sections of the Hume Highway and Pacific Highway rated as medium-high or high risk.
NSW continues with major upgrade work across the highway network, most prominent are the Hume and Pacific Highways.
Since 2007 the following major upgrades have been completed on the Hume Highway:
• The 17 kilometre Albury Wodonga Hume Freeway links the Hume Freeway in Wodonga with the Hume Highway at Ettamogah, north of Albury
• The Sheahan Bridge has been duplicated over the Murrumbidgee River at Gundagai, immediately upstream of the existing crossing
• Construction of 12 kilometres of dual carriageway, including reconstruction of four kilometres of northbound carriageway between Muttama Creek and the Dog on the Tuckerbox
• Duplication of 67 kilometres of Hume Highway from the Sturt Highway to Table Top.
In addition the towns of Tarcutta, Holbrook and Woomargama all have bypass construction underway; upon completion this will see the Hume Highway duplicated from Sydney to the Victorian border.
Significant upgrades continue across the NSW network with the Pacific Highway in particular slowly working toward a fully duplicated highway. The evidence is clear that where parts of the highway have been upgraded to dual carriage ways crashes have dramatically reduced along these routes. As at 30 of June 2011, 337 kilometres were completed dual carriageway, 67 kilometres are under construction, and about 128 kilometres are being prepared for construction. About 51 percent of the highway length of 664 kilometres is now duplicated.
new South Wales
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 13
nEW SouTh WalES CollECTivE RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 5: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 6%
low-medium 31%
medium 14%
medium-high 12%
high 37%
14
nEW SouTh WalES inDiviDual RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 6: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR 100M VeH-kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 38%
low-medium 34%
medium 14%
medium-high 8%
high 7%
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 15
best and worst links in new South WalesThere are 13 links in New South Wales that can be classified in the best category, as shown in Table 5. Of these, the best is the Sturt Highway from Hay to Balranald to Euston.
TablE 5: bEST linkS in nEW SouTh WalES
highway from-to Collective Risk Rating individual Risk Rating
Newell Hwy VIC border to Jerilderie low-medium low-medium
Newell Hwy Narrandera to West Wyalong low-medium low-medium
Newell Hwy West Wyalong to Forbes low-medium low
Newell Hwy Forbes to Parkes low-medium low-medium
Newell Hwy Parkes to Dubbo low-medium low-medium
Newell Hwy Brocklehurst to Gilgandra low-medium low
Newell Hwy Gilgandra to Coonabarabran low-medium low-medium
Newell Hwy Coonabarabran to Narrabri low-medium low-medium
Newell Hwy Narrabri to Moree low-medium low
Newell Hwy Moree to QLD border low-medium low
Sturt Hwy Narrandera to Hay low-medium low
Sturt Hwy Hay to Balranald low low
Sturt Hwy Balranald to Euston low low
There are nine links in New South Wales which can be classified in the worst category, as shown in Table 6.
Whilst the two major highways experience significant funding for upgrading, other NSW roads are struggling under the strain of lack of major upgrade and maintenance. The NSW network is in urgent need of funding to maintain and improve safety, in an attempt to reduce risk for motorists.
TablE 6: WoRST linkS in nEW SouTh WalES
highway from-to Collective Risk Rating individual Risk Rating
Great Western / Mitchell Hwy Lapstone to Katoomba high high
Great Western / Mitchell Hwy Katoomba to Lithgow high high
Great Western / Mitchell Hwy Lithgow to Bathurst high medium-high
Great Western / Mitchell Hwy Wellington to Dubbo high high
Hume Hwy Goulburn to Yass high medium-high
Hume Hwy Holbrook to Albury high medium-high
Pacific Hwy McLean to Ballina high medium-high
Pacific Hwy Ballina to Byron Bay high medium-high
Sturt Hwy Hume Highway to Wagga Wagga high high
16
Eight highways were assessed in victoria, totalling 1,724km in length. The length of each highway and the number of casualty crashes and deaths that occurred during 2005-2009 are shown in Table 7.
TablE 7: highWayS RaTED in viCToRia
highway from - to length Casualty crashes Deaths
km % 2005-09 % 2005-09 %
Calder Highway [1] Western Ring Road to Mildura 515 30% 340 13% 23 18%
Goulburn Valley Highway [2] Seymour to NSW border 141 8% 104 4% 19 15%
Hume Highway [3] Craigieburn to NSW border 293 17% 433 17% 26 20%
Princes Highway East [4] Pakenham to Sale 131 8% 276 11% 15 12%
Princes Highway West [5] Western Ring Road to Colac 114 7% 291 11% 15 12%
Sturt Highway Mildura to SA border 110 6% 20 1% 2 2%
Western Highway Western Ring Road to SA border 395 23% 592 23% 22 17%
Western Ring Road Princes Highway West to Hume Highway 26 2% 476 19% 5 4%
Total 1,725 100% 2,532 100% 127 100%
[1] The Ravenswood duplication (completed May 2005) and Harcourt duplication (completed April 2009) means that crash numbers are likely to reduce in future years.
[2] The Arcadia duplication (opened in February 2008) is included, so crash numbers are likely to reduce in future years.
[3] This includes the Craigieburn bypass (opened in December 2005), so results for this section are from 2006-2009 only. The analysis has been extended to include the Albury/Wodonga bypass (completed March 2007). While this is likely to slightly underestimate the total number of crashes, any underestimate is likely to be small as no crashes were recorded on the bypass from 2007-2009.
[4] This segment has been shortened from previous years to exclude the Pakenham Bypass which opened in December 2007.
[5] Geelong to Colac was added to the National Network in 2009, however five years of data has been used.
The 1,725km long network in Victoria represents eight per cent of the total network analysed throughout Australia and the 127 deaths that occurred on these sections of the Victorian network during 2005-2009 account for 11 per cent of the national network total.
The Western Hwy experienced the highest level of road trauma on the Victorian network, accounting for 23 per cent of the casualty crashes and 17 per cent of the deaths. Both the Calder Hwy and Hume Hwy experienced a similar number of deaths as the Western Hwy, but fewer casualty crashes. This indicates that crashes are occurring more often on the Western Hwy, yet the severity outcome is similar to roads with a lower crash rate.
The collective risk map on the following page shows that the majority of Victoria’s highways rated as medium-high or high risk. Both the Princes Hwy East and the Western Ring Road are rated high risk for their entire lengths. For the Western Ring Road this can partly be attributed to its urban nature, with high volumes and stop-start traffic resulting in a high number of rear-end crashes.
The individual risk map, which takes into account traffic volumes, shows that the majority of highways are rated as a low or low-medium risk. However the Western Hwy
from the Western Ring Road to Melton, the Princes Hwy East from Strzelecki Hwy to Traralgon and then Rosedale to Sale, all rated medium-high. No roads in Victoria rated high for individual risk.
Substantial upgrades to the network have been completed during the rating period including on the Calder Hwy which is now dual carriageway from Melbourne to Bendigo. Other significant upgrades undertaken include:
• Goulburn Valley Hwy Murchison section (opened February 2003) and Arcadia section (opened February 2008)
• Hume Hwy Craigieburn bypass (opened December 2005) and Albury/Wodonga bypass (opened March 2007)
• Princes Hwy East Pakenham bypass (opened December 2007)
• Western Hwy Deer Park bypass (opened April 2009)
Most of the above infrastructure upgrades have not been in place for the entire 2005-2009 rating period. It is expected that the benefits of these improvements will become more apparent over time, as the investment in improving the safety of the road translates into fewer and less severe crashes into the future.
victoria
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 17
Attention is drawn to investment made subsequent to the close of the current data period. Since 30 December 2009, Federal and State Governments have funded the following works to improve Victoria’s roads and these improvements are not reflected in the data presented in this report:
• Geelong Ring Road (completed June 2009)
• Goulburn Valley Hwy Nagambie bypass (due for completion mid 2012)
• Princes Hwy East duplication Traralgon to Sale (being carried out in stages. The first stage was completed in January 2011
• Princes Hwy West duplication Waurn Ponds (due for completion in 2014)
• Western Hwy Ballarat to Stawell upgrade (being carried out in stages. The first stage will be completed in 2012 with the final stage due for completion in 2016) and Anthony’s Cutting realignment (due for completion in early 2012)
• Western Ring Road upgrade (due for completion early 2014).
viCToRia CollECTivE RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 7: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 12%
low-medium 27%
medium 11%
medium-high 24%
high 26%
18
viCToRia inDiviDual RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 8: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR 100M VeH-kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 51%
low-medium 35%
medium 11%
medium-high 3%
high 0%
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 19
bEST anD WoRST linkS in viCToRia
There are seven links in Victoria which can be classified in the best category as shown in Table 8. The best of these is the Calder Highway from Wedderburn to Culgoa to Sunraysia Highway.
TablE 8: bEST linkS in viCToRia
highway from-to Collective Risk Rating individual Risk Rating
Calder Highway Bendigo to Wedderburn low-medium low-medium
Calder Highway Wedderburn to Culgoa low low
Calder Highway Culgoa to Sunraysia Hwy low low
Calder Highway Sunraysia Hwy to Mildura low-medium low
Sturt Highway Mildura to SA border low-medium low
Western Highway Horsham to Nhill low-medium low-medium
Western Highway Nhill to SA border low-medium low-medium
There are three links in Victoria which can be classified in the worst category as shown in Table 9. The worst links represent just over three per cent of the road network assessed in Victoria but experienced nearly nine per cent of the state’s road deaths.
The Princes Highway East is being duplicated from Traralgon to Sale, so it is likely that this will reduce the
risk on the Rosedale to Sale section in future years. The analysis of the Western Highway does not include the Deer Park Bypass which opened in April 2009, and we expect the benefit of this improvement to be reflected into the future.
TablE 9: WoRST linkS in viCToRia
highway from-to Collective Risk Rating individual Risk Rating
Princes Highway East Strzelecki Hwy to Traralgon high medium-high
Princes Highway East Rosedale to Sale high medium-high
Western Highway Western Ring Road to Melton high medium-high
20
Six highways on the rural network in Queensland were assessed, totalling 4,784km in length. The length of each highway and number of casualty crashes and deaths that occurred during 2005-09 are shown in Table 10.
TablE 10: highWayS RaTED in QuEEnSlanD
highway from – to length Casualty crashes Deaths
km % 2005-09 % 2005-09 %
Bruce Hwy Brisbane to Cairns 1,553 32% 2,869 50% 204 61%
Flinders Hwy Townsville to Barkly Highway 756 16% 131 2% 13 4%
Gore/Leichhardt Hwy Toowoomba to NSW border 219 5% 110 2% 10 3%
New England/Cunningham Hwy Ipswich to NSW border 216 5% 291 5% 23 7%
Pacific Motorway [1] Gateway Motorway to NSW border 78 2% 1,340 24% 25 8%
Warrego / Landsborough / Barkly Hwy
Cunningham Highway to NT border 1,961 41% 943 17% 58 17%
Total 4,784 100% 5,684 100% 333 100%
[1] This link may include crashes on the Pacific Motorway section that was replaced by the Tugun Bypass, prior to the bypass opening in June 2008
The 4,784km long network in Queensland represents 23 per cent of the total network analysed throughout Australia and the 333 deaths that occurred during 2005-09 represents 28 per cent of the national network total.
The Bruce Highway experienced the highest level of road trauma on the Queensland national network, accounting for 50 per cent of casualty crashes and 61 per cent of deaths during 2005-09. In fact, the Bruce Highway accounted for more than 17 per cent of deaths on the entire national network.
It is not surprising then, that the collective risk map on the following page shows that the Bruce Highway is medium-high and high risk along much of its length. The individual risk map, which takes account of traffic volumes, demonstrates that the risk of being involved in a crash is also rated medium-high and high along much of
its length. This makes the Bruce Highway one of the more ‘risky’ roads identified in this report.
Significant investment is required for infrastructure improvements along the Bruce Highway to address safety deficiencies and to cater for increasing traffic demand. Recent Federal funding has been announced for 50 overtaking lanes, fixing black spots and installing audible line markings. However there is still a backlog of projects required to achieve the desired road safety benefits.
Queensland
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 21
QuEEnSlanD CollECTivE RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 9: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 35%
low-medium 17%
medium 13%
medium-high 19%
high 15%
22
QuEEnSlanD inDiviDual RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 10: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR 100M VeH-kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 1%
low-medium 12%
medium 27%
medium-high 23%
high 37%
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 23
bEST anD WoRST linkS in QuEEnSlanDThere are three links that can be classified in the best category as shown in Table 11. The best of these are the Flinders Highway between Hughenden and Richmond and the Warrego/Landsbough/Barkly Highway between Morven and Barcaldine.
TablE 11: bEST linkS in QuEEnSlanD
highway from - to Collective Risk Rating individual Risk Rating
Flinders Hwy Hughenden to Richmond low low-medium
New England/Cunningham Hwy Warwick to Stanthorpe low-medium low-medium
Warrego / Landsborough / Barkly Hwy Morven to Barcaldine low low-medium
Fifteen links can be classified in the worst category as shown in Table 12. The worst of these are on the Bruce Highway, Sarina to Mackay and Innisfail to Cairns as well as the Warrego Higway from the Cunningham Highway to
Gatton. The worst links represented less than one percent (0.7%) of Queensland’s total road network but experienced almost 12% (200) of the state’s road deaths.
TablE 12: WoRST linkS in QuEEnSlanD
highway from - to Collective risk rating individual Risk Rating
Bruce Highway Cooroy to Gympie high medium-high
Bruce Highway Gympie to Childers high medium-high
Bruce Highway Childers to Miriam Vale medium-high high
Bruce Highway Miriam Vale to Rockhampton medium-high high
Bruce Highway Sarina to Mackay high high
Bruce Highway Mackay to Proserpine medium-high high
Bruce Highway Proserpine to Ayr medium-high high
Bruce Highway Townsville to Ingham high medium-high
Bruce Highway Ingham to Innisfail medium-high medium-high
Bruce Highway Innisfail to Cairns high high
New England/Cunningham Hwy Ipswich to Willowbank high medium-high
New England/Cunningham Hwy Kalbar to Warwick high medium-high
Pacific Motorway Gateway Motorway to Logan Motorway high medium-high
Pacific Motorway Smith Street Fwy to NSW border high medium-high
Warrego / Landsborough / Barkly Hwy Cunningham Hwy to Gatton high high
24
Six highways on the rural network in South australia were assessed, totalling 2,641km in length. The length of each highway and number of casualty crashes and deaths that occurred during 2005-2009 are shown in Table 13.
TablE 13: highWayS RaTED in SouTh auSTRalia
highway from – to length Casualty crashes Deaths
km % 2005-09 % 2005-09 %
Dukes Highway Tailem Bend to VIC border 191 7% 82 11% 23 27%
Eyre Highway WA border to Port Augusta 941 36% 93 12% 12 14%
Pt Augusta / Pt Wakefield Road Port Augusta to Old Port Wakefield Rd 272 10% 218 29% 16 19%
South East Freeway Crafers Interchange to Tailem Bend 85 3% 115 15% 4 5%
Stuart Highway NT border to Port Augusta 926 35% 112 15% 15 18%
Sturt Highway Gawler Bypass to VIC border 226 9% 144 19% 15 18%
Total 2,641 100% 764 100% 85 100%
The 2,641km long network in South Australia represents 13 per cent of the network analysed throughout Australia and the 85 deaths that occurred during 2005-09 represents seven per cent of the national network total.
The Dukes Highway accounted for 23 deaths, or 27 per cent of all deaths on the National Highway Network in South Australia. This figure is relatively high, considering the highway length is just seven per cent of the National Highway Network in the state.
The proportion of deaths on the Dukes Highway is noticeably higher than the proportion of casualty crashes (11 per cent), suggesting that crash outcomes on this highway are often more severe than on other highways. A similar case exists for the Stuart Highway, which experienced 18 per cent of the deaths on the network assessed in South Australia but only 15 per cent of the casualty crashes and the Eyre Highway which experienced 14 per cent of deaths in South Australia, but only 12 per cent of the casualty crashes.
By comparison, the proportion of deaths on Port Augusta / Port Wakefield Road (19 per cent) is perceptibly smaller than the percentage for casualty crashes (29 per cent). This is evidence that crashes on the Port Augusta / Port Wakefield Road tend to be less severe than crashes on other highways.
Overall, South Australia accounts for a relatively small percentage of the crashes on the entire national network, and this is reflected in the collective risk map on the following page with the majority of the network being rated as low-medium or low risk.
Conversely, the individual risk map shows a reasonably large percentage of the highways in South Australia are rated as having medium to high risk. Three sections of highway were rated as high individual risk, namely the Eyre Highway between Yalata and Fowler Bay, the Stuart Highway between the Northern Territory border and Coober Pedy and the Dukes Highway between Bordertown and the Victorian border.
Since the release of the last AusRAP report, the Commonwealth and South Australian Governments have completed upgrades on the Sturt Highway, and works are in place for the safety upgrades along Dukes Highway. The Sturt Highway upgrades include duplicating a section near Gawler, realignment of bends, protection or removal of roadside hazards, intersection upgrades and shoulder sealing. As the Sturt Highway project was only completed in 2010, and the Dukes Highway upgrade is currently underway, we expect that future risk maps will progressively illustrate the road safety benefits of investing in safer road infrastructure.
South australia
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 25
SouTh auSTRalia CollECTivE RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 11: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 63%
low-medium 18%
medium 15%
medium-high 1%
high 3%
26
SouTh auSTRalia inDiviDual RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 12: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR 100M VeH-kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 24%
low-medium 19%
medium 31%
medium-high 7%
high 19%
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 27
bEST anD WoRST linkS in SouTh auSTRaliaThere are eight links in South Australia that can be classified in the best category, as shown in Table 14. The best of these is the Eyre Highway from the WA border to Yalata. This link is 279km long, carried an average of around 380 vehicles per day and experienced 10 casualty crashes and one death between 2005 and 2009.
TablE 14: bEST linkS in SouTh auSTRalia
highway from - to Collective Risk Rating individual Risk Rating
Eyre highway WA Border to Yalata low low
Eyre highway Ceduna to Kyancutta low low-medium
Eyre highway Kyancutta to Lincoln Hwy low low-medium
Eyre highway Lincoln Hwy to Port Augusta low-medium low-medium
Pt augusta / Pt Wakefield Road Port Augusta to Port Pirie low-medium low
Sturt highway Paringa to VIC Border low-medium low
Dukes highway Tailem Bend to Keith low-medium low
Dukes highway Keith to Bordertown low-medium low
There are no links in South Australia that can be categorised in the worst category.
28
Six highways on the rural network in Western australia were assessed, totalling 4,682km in length. The length of each highway and number of casualty crashes and deaths that occurred during 2005-2009 are listed below.
TablE 15: highWayS aSSESSED in WESTERn auSTRalia
highway from - to length Casualty crashes Deaths
km % 2005-09 % 2005-09 %
Great Eastern Highway [1] Mundaring to Coolgardie 522 11% 213 28% 10 11%
Coolgardie - Esperance Highway Coolgardie to Norseman 164 4% 25 3% 1 1%
Eyre Highway Norseman to SA Border 721 15% 41 5% 6 7%
Great Northern Highway Muchea to Kununurra T/off 3,100 66% 282 36% 42 48%
Victoria Highway Wyndham T/off to NT border 88 2% 23 3% 3 4%
Perth – Bunbury Highway Dawesville to Bunbury 87 2% 192 25% 25 29%
Total 4,682 100% 776 100% 87 100%
[1] The section from Mundaring to The Lakes uses data for a three-year period only (2007-2009) due to a road realignment carried out in September 2006.
The 4,682km long network in Western Australia represents 23 per cent of the total network analysed throughout Australia and the 87 deaths that occurred during 2005-09 represents seven per cent of the national network total. Whilst the Great Northern Highway represents 66 per cent of the National Highway Network in Western Australia by length, it experienced only 36% of the casualty crashes (282) and 48% of the recorded fatalities (42). Conversely, the 87 km of Perth – Bunbury Highway, whilst making up only two per cent in terms of length, recorded a quarter of the casualty crashes and 29% of the fatalities.
Due to the remote nature of much of the National Highway Network in WA, both traffic volumes and crashes are generally low. As a consequence of this, the AusRAP methodology results in many of the links being several hundred kilometres in length. This methodology is based on a minimum number of casualty crashes (i.e. a desireable 20 crashes per link), but when this results in such long links, it is unlikely that the crashes will be evenly distributed. Consequently, the risk rating will show an average value along the link, whereas in reality, some portions of the link may be significantly better or worse than this value.
Upgrades to the network which have been completed during the rating period include:
• Great Eastern Highway which was duplicated between Sawyers Valley and The Lakes and completed in September 2006 by Main Roads Western Australia.
• Eyre Highway upgrades which opened in December 2006 between Caiguna East and Balladonia West and in January 2008 between Heartbreak Ridge & Balladonia West
• Great Northern Highway upgrade which opened between Walebing and Bindi Bindi in March 2009
• Perth-Bunbury Highway infrastructure upgrades on the Preston Beach to Bunbury section as part of a larger project to build a new section of highway from Pinjarra Road to Old Coast Road which opened in September 2009.
None of the above infrastructure upgrades have been in place for the entire 2005-2009 rating period. It is expected that the benefits of improvements, particularly those implemented in the later part of the assessment period, will become more apparent over time, as the investment in improving the safety of the road translates into fewer and less severe crashes into the future.
Western australia
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 29
WESTERn auSTRalia CollECTivE RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 13: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 82%
low-medium 15%
medium 0%
medium-high 1%
high 2%
30
WESTERn auSTRalia inDiviDual RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 14: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR 100M VeH-kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 33%
low-medium 10%
medium 34%
medium-high 15%
high 9%
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 31
bEST anD WoRST linkS in WESTERn auSTRaliaOf the 18 links assessed, there are five links as shown in Table 16 that can be classified in the ‘best links’ category. Four of these are part of the Great Northern Highway. These links are all between 280 and 500km long, carried an average of less than 800 vehicles per day and experienced between 15 and 52 casualty crashes over the 2005-09 period. However, of the casualty crashes recorded on the Meekatharra – Newman and Newman to NW Coastal t/off links, there were a higher number of fatalities (six on each).
As noted above, the averaging effect of assessing these long links may mask certain sections within these links that do not perform as well.
TablE 16: bEST linkS in WESTERn auSTRalia
highway from-to Collective Risk Rating
individual Risk Rating
Eyre Hwy Caiguna to SA border low low
Great Northern Hwy Wubin to Meekathara low low
Great Northern Hwy Meekathara to Newman low low
Great Northern Hwy Newman to NW Coastal Hwy turn off low low-medium
Great Northern Hwy NW Coastal Hwy t/off to Sandfire Roadhouse low low
It should be noted that Individual Risk is a measure of the risk for individual drivers (per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled), and as such, traffic volume is a key variable in the calculation of this rating. As shown on page 50, traffic flows on many of the National Network links in Western Australia are only a few hundred vehicles per day. With traffic data only being collected in certain locations, and then on an irregular basis, it can be seen that small changes in traffic flow data can have a large effect on the subsequent ratings.
Two links can be classified, in the ‘worst links’ category as show in Table 17. These are on the Great Eastern Highway between Mundaring and The Lakes and then the adjacent
link from The Lakes to Northam. These links are 14km and 42km long respectively. Due to a road realignment completed in September 2006, the data for Mundaring to The Lakes covers a three-year period only (2007-09). The Mundaring to The Lakes link carried approximately 9,400 vehicles per day and experienced 21 casualty crashes and no deaths from 2007 to 2009. The Lakes to Northam link carried 4,688 vehicles per day and experienced 47 casualty crashes and five deaths from 2005 to 2009. These two ‘worst links’ represented six per cent of the total number of deaths on the surveyed links and 0.5 per cent of the 634 road deaths in the State of WA from 2007 to 2009.
TablE 17: WoRST linkS in WESTERn auSTRalia
highway from - to Collective Risk Rating
individual Risk Rating
Great Eastern Highway Mundaring to The Lakes high medium-high
Great Eastern Highway The Lakes to Northam medium-high medium-high
Although not rating in the ‘worst links’ category due to high traffic volumes reducing the Individual Risk results, the two links on Perth – Bunbury Highway both rated High on Collective Risk, and exhibited crash and fatality figures far in excess of their length, pro rata.
32
five highways were assessed in Tasmania, totalling 371km in length. The length assessed of each highway and number of casualty crashes and deaths that occurred during 2005-2009 are shown in Table 17.
TablE 17: RoaDS aSSESSED in TaSmania
highway from - to length Casualty crashes Deaths
km % 2005-09 % 2005-09 %
Midland Highway Rifle Range Rd to Howick Street 158 43% 184 24% 36 49%
Bass Highway Midland Highway to Stowport Road 139 37% 253 33% 32 43%
East Tamar Highway Alanvale Connector to Bell Bay Rd 41 11% 67 9% 2 3%
Tasman Highway [1] Macquarie St to Holyman Ave 16 4% 70 9% 1 1%
Brooker Highway [1] Burnett St to Granton 17 5% 187 25% 3 4%
Total 371 100% 761 100% 74 100%
[1] These links were added to the National Highway Network in 2009, however five years of data has been used.
The 371km network in Tasmania represented two per cent of the network analysed throughout Australia and the 74 deaths that occurred during 2005-2009 represents six per cent of the total national network assessed.
The 36 deaths that occurred on the Midland Highway represents almost half (49 per cent) of the total number of deaths on the Tasmanian network. The Bass Highway accounted for 43 per cent of the deaths on the Tasmanian network with the other highways accounting for less than ten per cent combined.
The collective risk map on the following page shows that the entire network analysed is rated medium risk or worse, although much of the network performed better under the individual risk analysis, which takes specific account of traffic volumes.
Only a comparatively small part of the overall network the East Tamar Highway has a high risk rating so recent upgrades are welcome. In particular, the completion of the $60 million Dilston Bypass project in June 2011 will significantly reduce risk on this poorly-performing link.
The Bass Highway has undergone substantial upgrades in recent years including duplication of some high-volume sections. In addition, the Tasmanian Government has committed to rolling out audible-tactile profiled edge and centre markings where required on single carriageway
sections of the Bass Highway between Launceston and Devonport, which will help mitigate the high incidence of single vehicle run-off-road type crashes prevalent on the Tasmanian network.
The Midland Highway is Tasmania’s major north-south freight and transport corridor. However, the southern section of the highway passes through a number of towns, including Brighton (a regional service centre), Pontville and Bagdad with significant conflict between intrastate and local traffic. The $176 million Brighton Bypass, scheduled for completion in June 2012, will provide a new dual carriageway highway, grade-separated interchanges and local service roads on the highest-volume section between the East Derwent Highway at Bridgewater and the existing Midland Highway north of Pontville, substantially improving the current high-risk traffic conditions through Brighton and Pontville.
In addition, the Tasmanian Government has signed a partnership agreement with local government to develop a plan to guide the implementation of safety upgrades to the Midland Highway over two-, five- and ten-year-plus timeframes to upgrade it to a pre-determined minimum standard identified by the common vision.
We would expect that as these major projects are completed on the Tasmanian network, the risk maps will progressively illustrate the road safety benefits of investing in safer road infrastructure.
Tasmania
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 33
TaSmania CollECTivE RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 15: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 0%
low-medium 0%
medium 19%
medium-high 43%
high 39%
34
TaSmania inDiviDual RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 16: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR 100M VeH-kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 15%
low-medium 26%
medium 25%
medium-high 20%
high 13%
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 35
bEST anD WoRST linkS in TaSmaniaThere are no links in Tasmania that can be classified in the best category.
There are eight links that can be classified in the worst category, as shown in Table 18. The worst of these are the East Tamar Highway between the Alanvale Connector and Bell Bay Rd and the Brooker Highway from Burnett St to Berriedale Rd.
TablE 18: WoRST linkS
highway from - to Collective Risk Rating individual Risk Rating
Midland Highway Lower Marshes Rd to Sorell Springs Rd medium-high medium-high
Midland Highway Evandale Main Rd to Howick Street high medium-high
Bass Highway Parramatta Creek to Victoria Bridge high medium-high
Bass Highway Victoria Bridge to Forth River Bridge high medium-high
Bass Highway Nine Mile Rd to Stowport Rd high medium-high
East Tamar Highway Alanvale Connector to Dalrymple Rd high high
East Tamar Highway Dalrymple Rd to Bell Bay Rd high high
Brooker Highway Burnett St to Berriedale Rd high high
The Bass Highway is undergoing substantial upgrades to sections at Round Hill and other locations east of Burnie. This should reduce risk in the Nine Mile Road to Stowport Road link. Works include installation of flexible barrier, upgraded junctions and road realignment, and some permanent speed limit reductions.
The construction of the $60 million Dilston Bypass at Dilston on the East Tamar Highway during the period is expected to improve the safety of this poorly-performing link between Alanvale Connector and Bell Bay Road. Separation using flexible barrier over nine kilometres as well as upgraded junctions, weather stations to inform variable speed limits,
and wider sealed shoulders will achieve risk reduction.
On the Brooker Highway, the installation of new centre barrier and some edge flexible barrier and upgraded delineation on the link between Elwick Rd and Berriedale Rd since the last report will have reduced risk, and we expect this to become more apparent in the results of future risk mapping. The Tasmanian Government is focusing on the Howard Road Roundabout and the Elwick Road junction as their two key priority projects to improve efficiency and safety in this Brooker Highway link.
36
Three highways were assessed in northern Territory, totalling 2,652km in length. The length assessed of each highway and number of casualty crashes and deaths that occurred during 2005-2009 are shown in Table 19.
TablE 19: RoaDS aSSESSED in noRThERn TERRiToRy
highway from - to length Casualty crashes Deaths
km % 2005-09 % 2005-09 %
Barkly Highway Stuart Hwy to QLD border 434 16% 23 4% 1 1%
Stuart Highway Darwin to SA border 1,749 66% 468 91% 65 90%
Victoria Highway Katherine to WA border 469 18% 23 4% 6 8%
Total 2,652 100% 514 100% 72 100%
The 2,562km network in Northern Territory represented 13 per cent of the network analysed throughout Australia and the 72 deaths that occurred during 2005-2009 represents six per cent of the total national network assessed.
The Stuart Hwy experienced the highest level of road trauma on the Northern Territory network, accounting for 91 per cent of the casualty crashes and 90 per cent of the deaths, but just 66 per cent of the network assessed in the Northern Territory.
The collective risk map on the following page shows that the majority of Northern Territory’s highways rated as low or low-medium risk. However the Stuart Hwy from Darwin to Pine Creek rated medium-high.
The individual risk map shows that the majority of Northern Territory’s network rated as medium risk. It is however a concern that 43 per cent of the network in the Northern Territory rated as medium-high or high.
A number of works have been carried out to improve Northern Territory roads since 2005. Significant works include:
• Stuart Highway overtaking opportunities Darwin to Katherine
• Work to widen the road pavement on various sections of the Stuart, Victoria and Barkly Highways
• Various intersection improvements on these three highways
• Infrastructure Road Safety initiatives including fatigue management on Stuart, Victoria and Barkly Highways (truck parking bays/rest areas)
• Easing access to Darwin with Tiger Brennan Drive off Stuart Highway.
The speed limit on these highways was reduced to 130km/h from 1 January 2007.
northern Territory
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 37
noRThERn TERRiToRy CollECTivE RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 17: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 69%
low-medium 24%
medium 0%
medium-high 7%
high 0%
38
noRThERn TERRiToRy inDiviDual RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 18: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR 100M VeH-kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 7%
low-medium 14%
medium 40%
medium-high 21%
high 18%
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 39
bEST anD WoRST linkS in ThE noRThERn TERRiToRyThere are three links in the Northern Territory which can be classified as the best links as show in Table 20. Of these the best is the Victoria Highway from Timber Creek to the WA border. This link recorded four casualty crashes resulting in two fatalities over the 184 km length.
TablE 20: bEST linkS in noRThERn TERRiToRy
highway from-to Collective Risk Rating individual Risk Rating
Stuart Hwy Pine Creek to Katherine low-medium low-medium
Victoria Hwy Katherine to Timber Creek low low-medium
Victoria Hwy Timber Creek to WA border low low
Only one link in Northern Territory meets the criteria for a worst link as shown in Table 21. This is the Stuart Highway from Darwin to Pine Creek which recorded 262 casualty crashes, along the 192 kilometre length. This link is only seven per cent of the network rated in the Northern Territory, but recorded over 50 per cent of the total crashes on the network.
TablE 21: WoRST linkS in noRThERn TERRiToRy
highway from-to Collective Risk Rating individual Risk Rating
Stuart Hwy Darwin to Pine Creek medium-high high
40
Two highways were assessed in the australian Capital Territory, totalling 20km in length. The length assessed of each highway and number of casualty crashes and deaths that occurred during 2005-2009 are shown in Table 22.
TablE 22: RoaDS aSSESSED in auSTRalian CaPiTal TERRiToRy
highway from - to length Casualty crashes Deaths
km % 2005-09 % 2005-09 %
Barton Highway ACT border to Federal Highway 12 60% 37 74% 1 50%
Federal Highway ACT border to Antill Street 8 40% 13 26% 1 50%
Total 20 100% 50 100% 2 100%
The 20km network in Australian Capital Territory represented less than one per cent of the network analysed throughout Australia and the two deaths that occurred during 2005-2009 represents less than one per cent of the total national network assessed.
The collective risk map on the following page shows that the network in the ACT rated high risk. For individual risk, the network rated low or medium.
In the past five years there has been no significant change to the national road network in the ACT.
auSTRalian CaPiTal TERRiToRy CollECTivE RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 19: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 0%
low-medium 0%
medium 0%
medium-high 0%
high 100%
australian Capital Territory
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 41
auSTRalian CaPiTal TERRiToRy inDiviDual RiSk RaTingS, 2005-09
FIguRe 20: AVeRAge ANNuAL CASuALTy CRASHeS PeR 100M VeH-kM
Risk Rating Percentage of kms rated
low 40%
low-medium 0%
medium 60%
medium-high 0%
high 0%
bEST anD WoRST linkS in ThE auSTRalian CaPiTal TERRiToRyThere are two links in the Australian Capital Territory, neither of which can be classified as best or worst.
42
nEW SouTh WalES
barton hwy
Hume Highway to Murrumbateman Mixed 17 7750 19 5 0.21938 medium-high 7.76 low-medium
Murrumbateman to ACT border Single 21 8500 29 1 0.28152 medium-high 9.07 low-medium
f3
Hawkesbury River to Calga Interchange Dual 14 76150 139 5 2.04068 high 7.34 low-medium
Calga Interchange to Wyong Dual 29 61050 193 5 1.35121 high 6.06 low
Wyong to Ryhope Dual 33 36450 142 7 0.86280 high 6.49 low
Ryhope to New England Highway Dual 30 29700 89 4 0.59286 high 5.47 low
f6
Waterfall to Bulli Dual 20 35200 59 3 0.58212 high 4.53 low
Bulli to Wollongong (via Mt Ousley Rd) Dual 19 54450 177 2 1.87273 high 9.42 low-medium
federal hwy
Hume Highway to Collector Dual 24 12700 54 5 0.44738 high 9.65 medium
Collector to ACT border Dual 42 11550 54 1 0.25765 medium-high 6.11 low
great Western / mitchell hwy
Lapstone to Katoomba Mixed 42 29860 397 16 1.88346 high 17.28 high
Katoomba to Lithgow Mixed 37 12900 165 7 0.89348 high 18.98 high
Lithgow to Bathurst Mixed 51 10800 158 7 0.62317 high 15.81 medium-high
Bathurst to Orange Single 47 9400 99 4 0.42359 high 12.35 medium
Orange to Wellington Single 89 5520 108 2 0.24293 medium-high 12.06 medium
Wellington to Dubbo Single 40 5600 113 3 0.56524 high 27.65 high
appendix Complete Results
from-to Type length km
Traffic vehicles per day
Casualty crashes 2005-09
Deaths 2005-09
Collective Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per km
individual Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per 100 m veh-km
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 43
from-to Type length km
Traffic vehicles per day
Casualty crashes 2005-09
Deaths 2005-09
Collective Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per km
individual Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per 100 m veh-km
nEW SouTh WalES
hume hwy
Narrellan Rd to Berrima Dual 73 35850 161 6 0.44173 high 3.38 low
Berrima to Goulburn Dual 78 20850 166 11 0.42655 high 5.60 low
Goulburn to Yass Dual 65 7450 109 13 0.33783 high 12.42 medium-high
Yass to Coolac Dual 84 10900 67 3 0.15907 medium 4.00 low
Coolac to Tarcutta Mixed 61 11200 55 3 0.18066 medium-high 4.42 low
Tarcutta to Holbrook Mixed 67 8150 71 10 0.21310 medium-high 7.16 low-medium
Holbrook to Albury Mixed 58 9050 140 10 0.48410 high 14.66 medium-high
new England hwy
Branxton to Singleton Mixed 20 18500 77 7 0.75730 high 11.22 medium
Singleton to Muswellbrook Single 40 14050 82 4 0.40649 high 7.93 low-medium
Muswellbrook to Scone Single 20 12600 50 3 0.49946 high 10.86 medium
Scone to Blandford [1] Single 33 8600 29 3 0.17447 medium-high 5.56 low
Blandford to Tamworth Single 91 4600 73 7 0.15961 medium 9.51 low-medium
Nemingha to Armidale Single 96 5750 91 7 0.19014 medium-high 9.06 low-medium
Armidale to Guyra Single 33 4200 30 3 0.17964 medium-high 11.72 medium
Guyra to Glen Innes Single 55 3750 38 0 0.13918 medium 10.17 medium
Glen Innes to QLD border Single 109 3100 65 6 0.11877 medium 10.50 medium
newell hwy
VIC border to Jerilderie Single 51 1852 12 1 0.04727 low-medium 6.99 low-medium
Jerilderie to Narrandera Single 106 1145 22 2 0.04147 low-medium 9.93 medium
Narrandera to West Wyalong Single 132 2310 44 6 0.06680 low-medium 7.92 low-medium
West Wyalong to Forbes Single 109 3353 37 4 0.06815 low-medium 5.57 low
Forbes to Parkes Single 30 3032 15 0 0.10053 low-medium 9.08 low-medium
Parkes to Dubbo Single 95 2997 47 6 0.09843 low-medium 9.00 low-medium
Brocklehurst to Gilgandra Single 57 3067 21 2 0.07343 low-medium 6.56 low
Gilgandra to Coonabarabran Single 91 2730 38 4 0.08371 low-medium 8.40 low-medium
Coonabarabran to Narrabri Single 114 2655 49 7 0.08626 low-medium 8.90 low-medium
Narrabri to Moree Single 89 3895 32 2 0.07216 low-medium 5.08 low
Moree to QLD border Single 113 3478 35 3 0.06190 low-medium 4.88 low
Pacific hwy
Hexham to Karuah Dual 19 19600 112 7 1.16137 high 16.23 medium-high
Karuah to Bulahdelah Mixed 45 16250 106 12 0.47049 high 7.93 low-medium
Bulahdelah to Coolongolook Dual 22 11050 36 1 0.33147 high 8.22 low-medium
Coolongolook to Nabiac [1] Dual 18 13550 16 1 0.17374 medium 3.51 low
44
from-to Type length km
Traffic vehicles per day
Casualty crashes 2005-09
Deaths 2005-09
Collective Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per km
individual Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per 100 m veh-km
nEW SouTh WalES
Nabiac to Taree Dual 21 16050 50 2 0.47481 high 8.10 low-medium
Taree to Coopernook Mixed 19 14500 30 3 0.31491 high 5.95 low
Coopernook to Oxley Hwy Mixed 49 12650 108 8 0.44040 high 9.54 low-medium
Oxley Hwy to Kempsey Single 40 13950 96 6 0.47548 high 9.34 low-medium
Kempsey to Macksville Mixed 50 13150 92 4 0.36823 high 7.67 low-medium
Macksville to Sawtell Mixed 47 14600 119 18 0.50316 high 9.44 low-medium
Coffs Harbour to Grafton Mixed 76 21400 279 22 0.73900 high 9.46 low-medium
Grafton to McLean Mixed 43 12100 64 6 0.29858 high 6.76 low
McLean to Ballina Single 84 10900 206 17 0.49335 high 12.40 medium-high
Ballina to Byron Bay Mixed 29 17250 132 11 0.91403 high 14.52 medium-high
Byron Bay to Yelgun Mixed 22 17850 64 6 0.58845 high 9.03 low-medium
Yelgun to Chinderah Dual 27 25650 86 4 0.63293 high 6.76 low
Sturt hwy
Hume Highway to Wagga Wagga Single 34 5150 93 1 0.53927 high 28.69 high
Wagga Wagga to Narrandera Single 91 1900 60 9 0.13234 medium 19.08 high
Narrandera to Hay Single 169 2000 31 6 0.03658 low-medium 5.01 low
Hay to Balranald Single 128 1750 18 5 0.02813 low 4.40 low
Balranald to Euston Single 80 3100 10 2 0.02504 low 2.21 low
Euston to Mildura Single 69 6500 37 7 0.10689 medium 4.51 low
[1] Traffic volume has been estimated based on volumes on adjoining sections as there is no data for this length of road during the period 2005-2009.
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 45
from-to Type length km
Traffic vehicles per day
Casualty crashes 2005-09
Deaths 2005-09
Collective Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per km
individual Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per 100 m veh-km
viCToRia
Calder highway
Western Ring Road to Diggers Rest Dual 17 45600 97 4 1.17433 high 7.06 low-medium
Diggers Rest to Woodend Dual 42 18300 84 5 0.39769 high 5.95 low
Woodend to Pyrenees Hwy Dual 32 9600 21 2 0.13125 medium 3.75 low
Pyrenees Hwy to Bendigo [1] Dual 36 10600 69 5 0.47678 high 12.32 medium
Bendigo to Wedderburn Single 68 2800 32 2 0.09400 low-medium 9.20 low-medium
Wedderburn to Culgoa Single 98 1800 9 2 0.01831 low 2.79 low
Culgoa to Sunraysia Hwy Single 117 700 10 1 0.01706 low 6.68 low
Sunraysia Hwy to Mildura Single 105 2000 18 2 0.03432 low-medium 4.70 low
goulburn valley highway
Seymour to Nagambie Mixed 20 7200 18 3 0.18038 medium-high 6.86 low-medium
Nagambie to Arcadia [2] Mixed 25 5700 15 3 0.11782 medium 5.66 low
Arcadia to Shepparton Mixed 19 7900 23 4 0.23590 medium-high 8.18 low-medium
Shepparton to Numurkah Single 30 4700 24 4 0.16146 medium 9.41 low-medium
Numurkah to NSW border Single 46 2600 24 5 0.10442 low-medium 11.00 medium
hume highway
Metropolitan Ring Road to Hume Highway (Craigieburn bypass) [3] Dual 14 17200 41 2 0.71185 high 11.34 medium
Craigieburn to Seymour Dual 73 18000 148 4 0.40807 high 6.21 low
Seymour to Euroa Dual 48 9100 58 8 0.24294 medium-high 7.31 low-medium
Euroa to Winton Dual 56 9100 55 4 0.19556 medium-high 5.89 low
Winton to Springhurst Dual 58 10400 56 7 0.19267 medium-high 5.08 low
Springhurst to NSW border [4] Dual 44 12300 75 1 0.34091 high 7.59 low-medium
Princes highway East
Pakenham to Warragul [5] Dual 36 16300 36 1 0.20230 medium-high 3.40 low
Warragul to Trafalgar Dual 18 17300 44 3 0.49075 high 7.77 low-medium
Trafalgar to Strzelecki Hwy Dual 21 18500 40 1 0.38624 high 5.72 low
Strzelecki Hwy to Traralgon Dual 14 19500 66 3 0.95316 high 13.39 medium-high
Traralgon to Rosedale Single 20 12100 47 4 0.48187 high 10.91 medium
Rosedale to Sale Single 23 7900 43 3 0.37315 high 12.94 medium-high
46
from-to Type length km
Traffic vehicles per day
Casualty crashes 2005-09
Deaths 2005-09
Collective Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per km
individual Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per 100 m veh-km
viCToRia
Princes highway West
Western Ring Road to Hoppers Crossing Dual 12 124700 149 5 2.58437 high 5.68 low
Hoppers Crossing to Little River Dual 17 50100 41 4 0.47442 high 2.59 low
Little River to Geelong Dual 18 43200 28 1 0.31158 high 1.98 low
Geelong to Winchelsea [6] Single 29 7700 35 2 0.23891 medium-high 8.50 low-medium
Winchelsea to Colac [6] Single 38 5800 38 3 0.20074 medium-high 9.48 low-medium
Sturt highway
Mildura to SA border Single 110 1600 20 2 0.03645 low-medium 6.24 low
Western highway
Western Ring Road to Melton [7] Dual 19 43500 238 5 2.46650 high 15.53 medium-high
Melton to Ballan Dual 38 20700 114 4 0.59267 high 7.84 low-medium
Ballan to Ballarat (Sunraysia Hwy) Dual 44 13400 59 3 0.26812 medium-high 5.48 low
Ballarat (Sunraysia Hwy) to Beaufort Mixed 36 5300 24 2 0.13479 medium 6.97 low-medium
Beaufort to Ararat Single 41 4800 26 0 0.12672 medium 7.23 low-medium
Ararat to Stawell Single 24 5400 19 0 0.15700 medium 7.97 low-medium
Stawell to Horsham Single 60 4100 54 4 0.17937 medium-high 11.99 medium
Horsham to Nhill Single 69 3200 34 0 0.09861 low-medium 8.44 low-medium
Nhill to SA border Single 63 2300 24 4 0.07636 low-medium 9.10 low-medium
Western Ring Road
Princes Highway West to Western Highway Dual 8 103100 91 0 2.27087 high 6.03 low
Western Highway to Calder Highway Dual 8 107900 132 2 3.35314 high 8.51 low-medium
Calder Highway to Hume Freeway Dual 10 110700 253 3 4.87231 high 12.06 medium
[1] The Ravenswood duplication was completed in May 2005 and the Harcourt duplication was completed April 2009, so crash numbers are likely to reduce in future years.
[2] The Arcadia duplication opened in February 2008, so crash numbers are likely to reduce in future years.
[3] Analysis is for a four year period only as the Craigieburn bypass opened in December 2005.
[4] This link has been extended to include the Albury/Wodonga bypass which was completed in March 2007. While this is likely to slightly underestimate the total number of crashes this is likely to be small as no crashes were recorded on the bypass from 2007-2009.
[5] This segment has been shortened to exclude the Pakenham Bypass which opened in December 2007 and is considered to be a metropolitan road.
[6] These links were added to the National Highway Network in 2009, however five years of data has been used.
[7] The Deer Park Bypass opened in April 2009. While this has been excluded for this analysis, it is likely to lead to a reduction in crashes in future years compared to the Western Hwy/Ballarat Rd link.
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 47
from-to Type length km
Traffic vehicles per day
Casualty crashes 2005-09
Deaths 2005-09
Collective Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per km
individual Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per 100 m veh-km
QuEEnSlanD
bruce highway
Bald Hills to Caloundra Dual 61 50500 623 17 2.03327 high 11.03 medium
Caloundra to Cooroy Dual 41 27700 245 5 1.20642 high 11.93 medium
Cooroy to Gympie Single 40 14800 155 24 0.77634 high 14.37 medium-high
Gympie to Childers Single 138 8000 271 28 0.39223 high 13.43 medium-high
Childers to Miriam Vale Single 152 3000 202 14 0.26614 medium-high 24.31 high
Miriam Vale to Rockhampton Single 164 4000 206 15 0.25088 medium-high 17.18 high
Rockhampton to St Lawrence Single 165 2500 107 17 0.12940 medium 14.18 medium-high
St Lawrence to Sarina Single 118 2500 89 8 0.15139 medium 16.59 high
Sarina to Mackay Single 25 8700 108 6 0.84829 high 26.71 high
Mackay to Proserpine Single 118 4200 153 15 0.26005 medium-high 16.96 high
Proserpine to Ayr Single 160 2900 163 13 0.20374 medium-high 19.25 high
Ayr to Townsville Single 74 5200 78 9 0.21178 medium-high 11.16 medium
Townsville to Ingham Single 100 6600 183 10 0.36612 high 15.20 medium-high
Ingham to Innisfail Single 137 3900 144 14 0.20995 medium-high 14.75 medium-high
Innisfail to Cairns Single 60 5400 142 9 0.47499 high 24.10 high
flinders hwy
Townsville to Charters Towers Single 122 2200 59 7 0.09663 low-medium 12.03 medium
Charters Towers to Hughenden Single 245 700 37 4 0.03016 low 11.80 medium
Hughenden to Richmond Single 117 500 9 1 0.01534 low 8.40 low-medium
Richmond to Julia Creek Single 148 400 11 0 0.01487 low 10.18 medium
Julia Creek to Barkly Hwy Single 123 400 15 1 0.02443 low 16.73 high
gore/leichhardt hwy
Toowoomba to Yandilla Single 64 3100 46 3 0.14272 medium 12.61 medium-high
Yandilla to NSW border Single 155 1700 64 7 0.08263 low-medium 13.32 medium-high
new England/Cunningham hwy
Ipswich to Willowbank Dual 18 18700 100 2 1.11440 high 16.33 medium-high
Willowbank to Kalbar Single 37 5200 39 1 0.20900 medium-high 11.01 medium
Kalbar to Warwick Single 68 4900 98 16 0.28823 high 16.12 medium-high
Warwick to Stanthorpe Single 57 3700 29 3 0.10158 low-medium 7.52 low-medium
Stanthorpe to NSW border Single 36 3000 25 1 0.13841 medium 12.64 medium-high
Pacific motorway
Gateway Motorway to Logan Motorway Dual 15 109100 370 2 5.01246 high 12.59 medium-high
Logan Motorway to Smith Street Fwy Dual 35 106500 441 11 2.51104 high 6.46 low
48
from-to Type length km
Traffic vehicles per day
Casualty crashes 2005-09
Deaths 2005-09
Collective Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per km
individual Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per 100 m veh-km
QuEEnSlanD
Smith Street Fwy to NSW border [1] Dual 29 71000 529 12 3.70661 high 14.30 medium-high
Warrego / landsborough / barkly hwy
Cunningham Hwy to Gatton Dual 55 23700 404 20 1.46190 high 16.90 high
Gatton to Helidon Dual 20 12600 29 1 0.28852 high 6.27 low
Helidon to Toowoomba Dual 16 17600 63 2 0.76867 high 11.97 medium
Toowoomba to Dalby Single 74 5800 94 14 0.25510 medium-high 12.05 medium
Dalby to Roma Single 262 1600 156 7 0.11898 medium 20.37 high
Roma to Morven Single 175 800 29 3 0.03320 low-medium 11.37 medium
Morven to Barcaldine Single 413 400 28 1 0.01355 low 9.28 low-medium
Barcaldine to Winton Single 285 500 29 0 0.02036 low 11.16 medium
Winton to Flinders Hwy Single 334 200 23 0 0.01376 low 18.85 high
Flinders Hwy to Mt Isa Single 131 1400 45 9 0.06847 low-medium 13.40 medium-high
Mt Isa to NT border Single 195 500 43 1 0.04412 low-medium 24.17 high
[1] This link may include crashes on the Pacific Motorway section that was replaced by the Tugun Bypass, prior to the bypass opening in June 2008.
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 49
from-to Type length km
Traffic vehicles per day
Casualty crashes 2005-09
Deaths 2005-09
Collective Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per km
individual Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per 100 m veh-km
SouTh auSTRalia
Eyre highway
WA Border to Yalata Single 279 380 10 1 0.00716 low 5.16 low
Yalata to Fowler Bay Single 95 380 11 1 0.02318 low 16.71 high
Fowler Bay to Ceduna Single 106 690 15 6 0.02833 low 11.25 medium
Ceduna to Kyancutta Single 219 610 23 2 0.02104 low 9.45 low-medium
Kyancutta to Lincoln Hwy Single 219 710 26 1 0.02373 low 9.16 low-medium
Lincoln Hwy to Port Augusta Single 23 2400 8 1 0.06905 low-medium 7.88 low-medium
Stuart highway
NT Border to Coober Pedy Single 391 370 45 11 0.02302 low 17.04 high
Coober Pedy to Woomera Single 365 370 29 1 0.01588 low 11.76 medium
Woomera to Port Augusta Single 170 800 38 3 0.04472 low-medium 15.31 medium-high
Pt augusta / Pt Wakefield Road
Port Augusta to Port Pirie Single 82 3250 24 1 0.05841 low-medium 4.92 low
Port Pirie to Bute Single 73 3300 50 5 0.13746 medium 11.41 medium
Bute to Port Wakefield Single 50 3500 32 4 0.12877 medium 10.08 medium
Port Wakefield to Old Port Wakefield Rd Dual 68 8150 112 6 0.33053 high 11.11 medium
Sturt highway
Gawler Bypass to Daveyston Single 16 7950 21 2 0.26482 medium-high 9.13 low-medium
Daveyston to Truro Single 26 4650 21 0 0.16349 medium 9.63 medium
Truro to Blanchetown Single 48 2800 26 1 0.10915 medium 10.68 medium
Blanchetown to Barmera Single 88 2900 48 7 0.10874 medium 10.27 medium
Barmera to Berri Single 15 2750 12 2 0.16140 medium 16.08 medium-high
Berri to Renmark Single 12 7450 12 2 0.20287 medium-high 7.46 low-medium
Paringa to VIC Border Single 22 1700 4 1 0.03651 low-medium 5.88 low
South East freeway
Crafers Interchange to Verdun Interchange Dual 9 33800 49 2 1.07104 high 8.68 low-medium
Verdun Interchange to Mt Barker Interchange Dual 8 22800 15 0 0.36720 high 4.41 low
Mt Barker Interchange to Tailem Bend Dual 67 9250 51 2 0.15158 medium 4.49 low
Dukes highway
Tailem Bend to Keith Single 126 3650 54 18 0.08592 low-medium 6.45 low
Keith to Bordertown Single 46 2650 15 4 0.06556 low-medium 6.78 low
Bordertown to VIC Border Single 19 1900 13 1 0.13535 medium 19.52 high
50
from-to Type length km
Traffic vehicles per day
Casualty crashes 2005-09
Deaths 2005-09
Collective Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per km
individual Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per 100 m veh-km
WESTERn auSTRalia
great Eastern / Coolgardie Esperance / Eyre highway
Mundaring to The Lakes [1] Mixed 14 9416 21 0 0.48679 high 14.16 medium-high
The Lakes to Northam Single 42 4688 47 5 0.22450 medium-high 13.12 medium-high
Northam to Southern Cross Single 278 1633 96 4 0.06918 low-medium 11.61 medium
Southern Cross to Coolgardie Single 188 1055 49 1 0.05215 low-medium 13.55 medium-high
Coolgardie to Norseman Single 164 549 25 1 0.03044 low 15.20 medium-high
Norseman to Caiguna Single 371 400 26 4 0.01402 low 9.60 medium
Caiguna to SA Border Single 350 400 15 2 0.00858 low 5.88 low
great northern / victoria highway
Muchea to Wubin Single 216 1206 54 7 0.04991 low-medium 11.34 medium
Wubin to Meekathara Single 493 757 26 1 0.01055 low 3.82 low
Meekathara to Newman Single 414 757 24 6 0.01159 low 4.19 low
Newman to NW Coastal T/Off Single 447 727 52 6 0.02328 low 8.77 low-medium
NW Coastal T/Off to Sandfire Roadhouse Single 281 470 15 1 0.01069 low 6.23 low
Sandfire Roadhouse to Broome T/Off Single 286 370 19 7 0.01329 low 9.84 medium
Broome T/Off to Fitzroy Crossing Single 362 370 29 6 0.01602 low 11.86 medium
Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek Single 289 370 29 5 0.02008 low 14.87 medium-high
Halls Creek to Kununurra T/Off Single 312 387 34 3 0.02181 low 15.44 medium-high
Wyndham T/Off to NT Border Single 88 697 23 3 0.05257 low-medium 20.67 high
Perth-bunbury highway
Dawesville to Preston Beach Mixed 35 8907 60 11 0.34612 high 10.65 medium
Preston Beach to Bunbury Dual 53 11207 132 14 0.49981 high 12.22 medium
[1] The section from Mundaring to the Lakes uses data for a three year period only (2007-2009) due to a road realignment carried out in September 2006.
how Safe are our Roads? Rating Australia’s National Network for Risk – 2011 51
from-to Type length km
Traffic vehicles per day
Casualty crashes 2005-09
Deaths 2005-09
Collective Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per km
individual Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per 100 m veh-km
TaSmania
midland highway
Rifle Range Rd to Quoin Rd underpass Single 17 6400 23 11 0.27059 medium-high 11.58 medium
Quoin Rd underpass to Lower Marshes Rd Single 22 4400 18 3 0.16364 medium 10.19 medium
Lower Marshes Rd to Sorell Springs Rd Single 24 4400 28 2 0.23333 medium-high 14.53 medium-high
Sorell Springs Rd to Campbell Town Single 36 4600 29 5 0.16111 medium 9.60 medium
Campbell Town to Evandale Main Rd Mixed 49 6000 48 12 0.19592 medium-high 8.95 low-medium
Evandale Main Rd to Howick Street Single 10 15200 38 3 0.76000 high 13.70 medium-high
bass highway
Midland Hwy to Hagley Station St overpass Mixed 23 9900 26 3 0.22609 medium-high 6.26 low
Hagley Station St overpass to Railton Rd Mixed 32 8200 42 3 0.26250 medium-high 8.77 low-medium
Railton Rd to Parramatta Creek Single 17 7600 26 10 0.30588 high 11.03 medium
Parramatta Creek to Victoria Bridge Single 22 10700 55 2 0.50000 high 12.80 medium-high
Victoria Bridge to Forth River Bridge Single 12 13400 48 6 0.80000 high 16.36 medium-high
Forth River Bridge to Knights Rd Single 11 13000 9 1 0.16364 medium 3.45 low
Knights Rd to Nine Mile Rd Single 14 14300 14 0 0.20000 medium-high 3.83 low
Nine Mile Rd to Stowport Rd Dual 8 14700 33 7 0.82500 high 15.38 medium-high
East Tamar highway
Alanvale Connector to Dalrymple Rd Dual 20 5100 35 2 0.35000 high 18.80 high
Dalrymple Rd to Bell Bay Rd Dual 21 4400 32 0 0.30476 high 18.98 high
Tasman highway
Macquarie St to Holyman Ave [1] Dual 16 34300 70 1 0.87500 high 6.99 low-medium
brooker highway
Burnett St to Berriedale Rd [1] Dual 9 38100 162 3 3.60000 high 25.89 high
Berriedale Rd to Granton [1] Dual 8 25400 25 0 0.62500 high 6.74 low
[1] These links were added to the National Highway Network in 2009, however five years of data has been used.
52
from-to Type length km
Traffic vehicles per day
Casualty crashes 2005-09
Deaths 2005-09
Collective Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per km
individual Risk Rating annual average casualty crashes per 100 m veh-km
noRThERn TERRiToRy
barkly highway
Stuart Hwy to Wunara Single 281 220 13 1 0.00926 low 11.54 medium
Wunara to QLD border Single 153 230 10 0 0.01306 low 15.56 medium-high
Stuart hwy
Darwin to Pine Creek Single 192 1300 262 28 0.27324 medium-high 57.59 high
Pine Creek to Katherine Single 90 1300 20 3 0.04469 low-medium 9.42 low-medium
Katherine to Daly Waters Single 271 500 25 5 0.01847 low 10.12 medium
Daly Waters to Helen Springs Single 260 400 23 2 0.01772 low 12.14 medium
Helen Springs to Barkly Hwy Single 117 400 12 1 0.02044 low 14.00 medium-high
Barkly Hwy to Stirling Single 281 400 30 6 0.02135 low 14.62 medium-high
Stirling to Alice Springs Single 249 1000 46 8 0.03697 low-medium 10.13 medium
Alice Springs to SA border Single 290 400 50 12 0.03444 low-medium 23.59 high
victoria hwy
Katherine to Timber Creek Single 285 500 19 4 0.01334 low 7.31 low-medium
Timber Creek to WA border Single 184 200 4 2 0.00434 low 5.95 low
auSTRalian CaPiTal TERRiToRy
barton highway
ACT border to Federal Highway Dual 12 16800 37 1 0.61667 high 10.06 medium
federal highway
ACT border to Antill Street Dual 8 18000 13 1 0.32500 high 4.95 low
For more information or copies of AusRAP reports contact:
Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP)
C/O Australian Automobile Association (AAA)
103 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra ACT 2601
Email [email protected] WEb www.ausrap.org or www.aaa.asn.au PhonE +61 2 6247 7311
Alternatively, contact the Automobile Club in your state or territory.
Material in this publication may be reproduced or quoted provided AAA is acknowledged.
© Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP) 2011