Every year hundreds of people are killed or seriously injured in crashes on Victoria’s regional roads.
The ‘My Country Road’ survey uses an interactive map showing high-speed roads with large concentrations of crashes causing death or serious injury in regional Victoria. It seeks comments from people with local knowledge.
Among the roads highlighted in the region are Webb Rd, Kyabram-Cooma Rd and Lancaster-Mooroopna Rd.
The map highlights 169 roads with speed limits of 80km an hour or higher where there have been several fatal or serious crashes for the five-year period between 2014 and 2018.
Road users can provide feedback on safety, road issues, suggested improvements and speed limits for each location.
RACV transport, planning and infrastructure senior manager Peter Kartsidimas said over the past five years more than half the deaths on Victoria’s roads had occurred on regional roads, but only about a quarter of Victorians lived in regional areas.
‘‘It’s not only the obviously risky roads, such as those that are narrow or winding, that pose a danger to motorists,’’ he said.
‘‘We want to find out what local residents think. For example, is the speed limit too high given the condition of the road? What are the potential dangers in the road design like narrow lanes, power poles or trees too close to the road, or unexpected things like livestock or native animals on the road?’’
RACV will use input from Victorian drivers to lobby all levels of government to make regional roads safer and look at lowering speeds on some roads to match conditions.
RACV estimates 80 per cent of the 180,000km of regional roads with 100km an hour speed limits in Victoria need upgrading.
More from the Kyabram Free Press:
PETstock pushing pet adoption education in March
Kyabram Water Tank Project begins art stage
Meet St Augustine’s College’s 2021 captains
27°C