Road Accident Statistics in Australia: How Safe are our roads?
There are more cars on the roads than ever before, making the traffic heavier, road safety regulations stricter and driving riskier. What was once a pleasurable experience, is now becoming an ordeal for many. Driving is more about completely exhausted drivers, more vehicles to less time, hurry to reach the destination, thrill in driving at high speeds, pedestrians, more accidents, severe injuries – unfortunately, more fatal deaths.
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Car accidents are more than an inconvenience on the road, with injuries putting you off the road for even months and the insurance excesses draining your savings. Considering the severity of road accidents, there are many causes of car accidents in Australia.
Most common types of collisions : The data below considers 75% of the collision claims in Australia.
- 23% of collisions – Rear-end
- 21% of collisions – When a car is parked
- 12.3% of collisions – During reverse parking
- 11.1% of collisions – Car losing control and hitting another object
- 5.4% of collisions – Hitting an animal
- 3.5% of collisions – While changing lanes
While we can’t avoid collisions, there are few common factors which make the occurrence of accidents more likely.
TAILGATING OR INCORRECT DRIVING DISTANCE : To minimise the risk of an accident. Especially the nose-to-tail, the driver should keep a distance from the vehicle in front and follow the ‘3-second rule’. By this rule, you should have enough space to slow down or stop without warning. To avoid accidents due to tailgating,
- Allow extra room ahead
- Slow down gradually and avoid sudden braking
DRUNK DRIVING : Overall, alcohol has a negative effect on the driver with impaired vision, reflexes, coordination, judgment and risk assessment. Moreover, it is against the law to drive under the influence of alcohol or any intoxicating substance. You can avoid drink driving by,
- Taking an alternative transport arrangement, such as car rental from Melbourne Car Rental
- Avoiding to get behind the wheel if in an intoxicated state
SPEEDING : Speed limits are set in accordance with traffic signals, infrastructure, development, street parking, wildlife and other conditions. Driving on high speeds is directly proportional to the response rate in braking, meaning higher impact during an accident. You can avoid speeding by,
- Maintaining a calm approach
- Leaving earlier and planned to avoid rushing to the destination
- Keep a strict watch on the speed limit
DRIVING WHILE FATIGUED : Fatigue is directly related to the concentration level while driving. It can also lead to macro-sleep, which can cause a fatal accident in a span of a microsecond. To avoid fatigue,
- Stop by and revive every couple of hours
- Take adequate rest before long drives
- Avoid late night driving, as much as possible
- Don’t drive if you are medicated with sedatives
However, making the right decisions will get you back home safely. If you want assistance for a safe driving on the road, call Melbourne Car Rental for assistance. Melbourne Car Rental services South Melbourne, Albert Park and Southbank with its Melbourne CBD rental car service. Our store at 108 A’Beckett St Melbourne is easily accessed from South Melbourne, Albert Park, and Southbank and offers great value car rental rates. Call to book on +61 3 9329 8587.