4102.0 - Australian Social Trends, 1996
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/06/1996
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Special Features: Motor vehicle traffic accidents
Motor vehicle traffic accident fatalities Deaths from motor vehicle traffic accidents have declined from 27 per 100,000 population in 1973 to 11 in 1993. The introduction of compulsory seat belt legislation and random breath testing have played a major role in reducing the motor vehicle traffic accident death rate. However, despite this fall, motor vehicle traffic accidents remain one of the main preventable causes of death in Australia. In 1993, 1,956 people died in motor vehicle traffic accidents. Almost one-third (31%) of these were aged 15-24. 7% were children aged under 15. 71% of motor vehicle traffic accident fatalities were male. In 1993, road crash fatalities most commonly occurred in New South Wales. However, per 100,000 population, more people died from motor vehicle traffic accidents in the Northern Territory than any other state or territory. In the Northern Territory, 28 people per 100,000 population died from a motor vehicle traffic accident. This was followed by 15 in South Australia and 13 in Tasmania. People in the Australian Capital Territory were least likely to be killed in a motor vehicle traffic accident, 2 per 100,000 population. MOTOR VEHICLE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT FATALITIES PER 100,000 POPULATION Source: Causes of Death (cat. no. 3303.0); Estimated Resident Population by Age and Sex, Australia (cat. no. 3201.0).People hospitalised In 1993, 21,602 people were hospitalised due to road crashes. 46% of these people were aged 15-29. 9% were aged under 15. The majority of those hospitalised were male (61%). The number of people hospitalised due to road crashes has also decreased, from 182 per 100,000 population in 1983 to 122 in 1993. This rate of decrease was slower than that for fatalities. As with fatalities, people in the Northern Territory were most likely to be hospitalised due to a road crash. In 1993, 254 people per 100,000 population were hospitalised due to a road crash there. This was followed by 154 in Western Australia and 133 in Victoria. People were least likely to be hospitalised due to a road crash in the Australian Capital Territory, with a rate of 52 per 100,000 population. PEOPLE HOSPITALISED PER 100,000 POPULATION Source: Federal Office of Road Safety Serious Injury Database: 1993 Tabulations; Road Traffic Accidents Involving Casualties, Australia (cat. no. 9405.0).Type of road user People who are killed or injured in road crashes are most likely to be drivers. In 1993, 44% of road fatalities and 43% of hospitalisations were drivers. Passengers accounted for a further 26% of road deaths and 27% of hospitalisations. The type of road user killed or injured is related to patterns of usage. The 1992 Time Use Survey found that 59% of people aged 15 and over drove cars for transport on an average day, while only 19% were passengers (see Car use). Drivers also spent more time per day on car travel than passengers (86 minutes compared to 59 minutes). The type of road user killed or injured varied between males and females. Male fatalities were more likely to be drivers (48%) while female fatalities were more likely to be passengers (41%). Again this is linked to patterns of car use. In 1992, 66% of men drove a car on an average day compared to 52% of women. And only 12% of men were passengers in a car on an average day compared to 26% of women. The type of road user killed or injured is also linked to age. Children can only legally be passengers, pedestrians or bicyclists, therefore the proportion of people killed or injured who were passengers is largest among those aged 0-14. 55% of people aged 0-14 who died, and 47% of people aged 0-14 who were hospitalised, were passengers. The proportion of people killed or injured who were bicyclists was also largest in this age group, accounting for 9% of 0-14 year-olds who died and 18% of those who were hospitalised. People aged 15-29 made up the largest proportion of those killed or injured in road crashes, both as drivers and as passengers (41% of fatalities and 46% of hospitalisations). This age group includes many novice drivers which may contribute to the high rates. In addition, many young people participate in risk taking behaviour, such as speeding and drink-driving. People aged 15-29 also made up the largest proportions of motor cycle deaths and injuries, 67% of fatalities and 66% of hospitalisations. This is linked to their patterns of motor vehicle use. In 1992, less than 1% of people used a motor cycle for transport on an average day. However, 44% of these people were aged 15-242. The likelihood of death or injury in a road crash varies according to the type of vehicle a person uses. Motor cycles are much more likely than cars to be involved in a fatal or hospitalisation crash. In 1993, 986 per 100,000 motor cycles were involved in a fatal or hospitalisation crash compared to 279 per 100,000 cars. FATALITIES BY TYPE OF ROAD USER, 1993
(b) Includes pillion passengers. (c) Includes fatalities where road user status was not known. Source: Federal Office of Road Safety Serious Injury Database: 1993 Tabulations HOSPITALISATIONS BY TYPE OF ROAD USER, 1993
(b) Includes pillion passengers. (c) Includes hospitalisations where road user status was not known. Source: Federal Office of Road Safety Serious Injury Database: 1993 Tabulations. When road crashes occur In 1993 there were 1,736 fatal crashes and 17,186 hospitalisation crashes. Crashes involving death or injury were most likely to occur on a Friday or Saturday (17% each), followed by a Thursday or Sunday (14% each). Both fatal and hospitalisation crashes were more likely to occur between 4pm and 8pm. 23% of fatal crashes and 27% of hospitalisation crashes occurred during this time of day. A further 19% of fatal crashes and 24% of hospitalisation crashes occurred between midday and 4pm. WHEN CRASHES OCCURRED, 1993
Factors contributing to road crashes It is difficult to identify a single cause of road crashes since many factors are often involved. These include use of alcohol and other drugs, speed, driver fatigue, car failure, illegal over- taking and dangerous manoeuvring. In 1993, of all drivers, motor cyclists, pedestrians and bicyclists who were killed or injured in a road crash, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was known for 74% of fatalities and 50% of hospitalisations. Of these, 29% of fatalities and 22% of people hospitalised had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05 or more. It is difficult to obtain data on the number of road crashes involving excessive speed, but data are available on the speed limit where the crash occurred. In 1993, 58% of all accidents involving fatalities or hospitalisations were in areas where the speed limit was 60 kilometres per hour. However, it should be noted that at any time most motor vehicles are travelling in areas with this speed limit. Fewer vehicles travel in areas with a speed limit of 100 kilometres or more per hour. Therefore, crashes occurring in these areas probably account for a disproportionately high number of all crashes. In 1993, 29% of crashes occurred in areas with this speed limit. Fatal crashes were more likely than hospitalisation crashes to occur in areas with a high speed limit, 47% compared to 28%. There are differences between male and female drivers in the causes of road crashes. A Federal Office of Road Safety study found that in 1990 fatal crashes caused by male drivers were much more likely to involve alcohol or excessive speed than those caused by female drivers3. PROPORTION OF PEOPLE(a) WITH A BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION OF 0.05(b) OR MORE, 1993
(b) BAC refers to grams of alcohol per millilitre of blood. In Australia, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.05 or more. Source: Federal Office of Road Safety Serious Injury Database: 1993 Tabulations. SPEED LIMIT AT CRASH SITE, 1993
Source: Federal Office of Road Safety Serious Injury Database: 1993 Tabulations. Extent of injury The extent of injury a person experiences varies according to whether they used safety devices such as a car seat belt or wearing a helmet if riding a motor cycle. In 1993, where seat belt and helmet use were known, 9% of people who were hospitalised as a result of a car accident had not been wearing a seat belt, and 9% who were hospitalised as a result of a motor cycle accident had not worn a helmet. Among fatalities, the proportions were much higher. 33% of fatalities had not been wearing a seat belt, and 15% had not been wearing a helmet. This suggests that in accidents of a given severity, people may be killed rather than hospitalised due to not wearing a seat belt or helmet. There are differences between men and women in the extent of injury suffered in road crashes. Overall, women may be less likely to be fatally injured than men because they are less likely to be speeding and more likely to be wearing a seat belt. However, the Federal Office of Road Safety study found that, in crashes at a given speed, women are likely to suffer more severe injuries than men. This is considered to be because they have a greater physical vulnerability and they have a tendency to drive smaller cars3.
Endnotes 1 Federal Office of Road Safety (1992) The national road safety strategy Canberra. 2 Time Use Survey (unpublished data). 3 Federal Office of Road Safety (1994) A comparison of fatal crashes involving male and female car drivers AGPS, Canberra.
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