Pedestrian Deaths Skyrocket in Australia’s Major States
By Stephen Coulter and Krystyna Weston, Co-Founders of Zipidi
The latest figures from 2022 in Australia are alarming; the three largest states in Australia experienced dramatic increases in pedestrian road deaths.
Victoria saw a more than 50% jump, Queensland experienced a similar surge, and New South Wales had a 17% uptick. All told, road fatalities climbed by no more than 7.9% throughout each of these states, which collectively constitute 77% of Australia’s total population.
In Victoria specifically, this resulted in a rise from 29 to 44 pedestrian deaths; New South Wales reported a jump from 41 to 48, and similarly, Queensland had an increase from 20 to 30 fatal cases. A staggering 122 lives were tragically lost among these three major states alone.
This problem has rapidly arisen as automobiles have become increasingly safer for occupants but deadlier for other vulnerable individuals like pedestrians and cyclists.
Factors driving this upsurge include car size and speed, negligent drivers and pedestrians distracted by electronic devices, plus the lack of suitable urban designs to protect those on foot or bike paths.
In recent years, there has been a clear shift in automobile preferences of both Australians and Americans towards larger, bulkier models.
In 2012, 8 of the top 10 selling cars were compact sedans. However, a decade later, in 2022, the majority of these vehicles had become pickup trucks/utes and SUVs, with only two small cars remaining among them. This dramatic switch can be attributed to buyers’ growing desire for more spacious interiors and additional safety features — which often result in increased car size and weight. The incorporation of electric power further exacerbates this trend by increasing vehicle mass even more.
This trend is exacerbated as car models are continually increasing in size and weight…
Speed Kills
A variety of studies around the world have demonstrated that the higher the speed, the more likely a person is to suffer fatal or serious injury. For example, a pedestrian struck at 50 kph or faster is highly vulnerable; 40 kph poses a 50% risk of death and 30 kph kills about 7.5%. Senior citizens are at an even greater danger due to age-related vulnerability.
The Victorian Transport Accident Commission examined five years of 175 pedestrian deaths in Victoria and found that:
- 65% were on roads with speed limits of 60 kph or lower — close to 40% occurred in zones marked for 60 kph.
- 70% happened in metropolitan Melbourne,
- 36% of victims were over the age of 70, and 67% were males.
A disproportionately high number of fatalities at relatively low speeds suggest that current speed limits are too high and leave little to no room for reaction time. Additionally, due to the growth in vehicle size and weight, visibility is reduced, leaving even less response time available.
It’s very evident The United Nations’ recommended maximum speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour should be the standard limit in metropolitan residential areas and areas with significant foot traffic, such as shopping districts, schools, recreational hubs, tourist attractions etc.
At first glance, implementing 30kph speed limits may seem unappealing to many people, but it has various positive impacts and comes with increased acceptance over time -as explained in this article from The Conversation.
A Call for Active and Micromobility
As 70% of Victorian deaths happen on metropolitan Melbourne streets with speed limits no more than 60 kph, where the majority of journeys are less than 5 km, this shows how beneficial active transportation can be — walking, cycling, electric bikes or scooters, electric cargo bikes, etc.
We have viable alternatives for these shorter trips without endangering ourselves with cars.
Some simple, low-cost measures can be implemented quickly to reduce the risk and number of deaths of pedestrians:
- Reduce residential and high activity area speed limits to 30 kph
- Reduce 60 kph speed limits to 50 kph
- Legalise and support all forms of active and micromobility to enable seniors, people with disabilities and workers to find safe, sustainable vehicles suitable for their physical abilities and use cases.
There is little cost to these measures, which have immediate benefits. Further investment in protected mobility lanes and better urban design can further mitigate the risks to pedestrians and improve community liveability.
Summary Data for 2021/22
