Drivers across Australia are being urged to take care, with a rising road toll devastating thousands of families and costing the economy billions of dollars.
Key points:
- Road trauma in Victoria costing between $3 billion to $4 billion every year
- Estimated to be costing NSW economy more than $7 billion every year
- National Road Safety Strategy aiming for at least 30pc reduction in deaths, serious injuries by 2020
There has been a concerning spike in deaths after record low numbers just a few years ago, sparking concerns about the effectiveness of road safety campaigns.
The Federal Government estimated road crashes were costing the Australian economy $27 billion a year.
Police said it had been a "horror time", while road safety campaigners like Peter Frazer warned of the severe consequences if the message about sensible driving did not get through.
