TRANSPORT Accident Commission (TAC) research shows a concerning number of Victorian drivers admitting to engaging in more than one risky or illegal behaviour behind the wheel.
The latest TAC Road Safety Monitor – an annual survey of more than 2000 Victorian license holders – found that drivers who admitted to one unsafe behaviour were highly likely to report others, showing a pattern of motorist ‘risk stacking’ on the state’s roads.
Findings from the report reveal the extent to which these behaviours overlap across the driving population. Almost half (47.4 per cent) of respondents said they had both knowingly driven while ‘quite tired’ and intentionally sped by more than three kilometres per hour over the limit in the past 12 months.
The survey, which asks about road safety behaviours and attitudes, also found 40.2 per cent of drivers reported both low-level speeding and using a hand-held mobile phone, while 38.2 per cent admitted to using a mobile phone and driving while tired.
Alarmingly, the research shows nearly one in three respondents (32.9 per cent) reported driving after drinking alcohol, as well as driving while tired, in the past year.
Each of these behaviours is a major contributor to road trauma in Victoria. Speeding is involved in around one third of fatal crashes, while around 80 per cent of speeding-related casualty crashes involve exceeding the limit by fewer than 10 kilometres per hour.
Drink-driving is a factor in around a quarter of road deaths in Victoria, while tired driving is involved in 16 to 20 per cent of fatal crashes.
The TAC Road Safety Monitor provides critical insights into driver behaviour and community attitudes, helping guide enforcement efforts, policy and campaigns aimed at reducing deaths and serious injuries on Victorian roads.
TAC’s ‘Crossroads’ holiday enforcement campaign, which targets drink driving and speeding, returns this month. This follows recent runs of a fatigued driving campaign,‘Driving tired? Wake up to yourself’, and an enforcement-focused campaign deterring low-level speeding.
TAC CEO Tracey Slatter said there was plenty of work to be done on Victoria’s road behaviour.
“These findings are a stark reminder that dangerous driving behaviour puts lives at risk,” she said.
“Every dangerous choice – whether it’s speeding, distraction, fatigue or alcohol – raises your risk of a crash and combining them multiplies the danger. Slow down, stay focused, and never drive impaired.
“While most people intend to do the right thing, many make poor choices when under time and other pressures, and the Road Safety Monitor reinforces where we need to focus our behaviour change efforts.
“Reducing road trauma in Victoria means tackling the full picture of driver behaviour, because multiple risky habits can quickly add up with devastating consequences.”
