Crash Risks of Road User Groups in Victoria

Monash University Accident Research Centre - Report #88 - 1996

Authors: K. Diamantopoulou, M. Skalova, D. Dyte & M. Cameron

Executive Summary

This report presents the results of an analysis of two different data sets which were provided by VicRoads. The first of these was data collected during an exposure survey conducted by Arup Transportation Planning during 1994 on behalf of VicRoads. The second data set was a file of accident report data, originally collected by the Victoria Police during 1990-94, and subsequently enhanced by VicRoads. Because the analysis made use of data prepared by others, it should be emphasised that the results depend on the validity of the original data collections. The results also depend on a range of assumptions made in the analysis.

Subject to the data provided and the assumptions on which the analysis was based, this report shows some remarkable findings regarding casualty accident risks in Victoria during 1994. These include:

the generally higher casualty accident rate per kilometre driven by female drivers compared to males. For more severe crashes these differences tended to disappear and there were no statistically significant differences between female and male fatal crash risks
the apparently high casualty accident rate per kilometre driven by drivers aged 75 and above
the absence of statistically significant differences between casualty accident rates per kilometre when driving at night compared with the rate when driving during the day
the substantial reductions in accident risk per kilometre driven in Melbourne for some types of drivers and circumstances between 1988 and 1994. The largest reductions appear to have been experienced by young drivers, particularly on weekends, and during both the night and day-time hours.

These new findings suggest that a new pattern of casualty accident risks may have taken shape in Victoria during the 1990’s compared with earlier years. If this is the case, the implications for countermeasure development in Victoria are significant. Because of these implications, it is recommended that further research be conducted to confirm the apparent changes, by repeating the 1994 exposure survey during 1996, and combining the results with the 1994 exposure data and 1994-96 accident data, to verify the new pattern of accident risks apparently present during the 1990’s.

Sponsoring Organisation: Baseline Research Program - Department of Justice, Transport Accident Commission, Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) Ltd, VicRoads