National Road Safety Week

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson) (14:56): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Can the minister inform the house about the emotional and economic cost of road trauma in South Australia?

The Hon. J.K. SZAKACS (Cheltenham—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services) (14:57): Congratulations to the member for Mawson on being returned to this place. He has turned parts of the Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island from blue to purple to red.

As of midnight 16 May, the first day of National Road Safety Week, South Australia has recorded 30 road fatalities and 245 serious injuries. That is 275 tragedies with countless repercussions to the families, friends, colleagues and neighbours of those directly involved in these incidents.

Whilst these figures represent 10 fewer fatalities than this time last year and 29 per cent fewer serious injuries than this time last year, I am incredibly conscious—and I know that everybody in this place is—that one death on our roads is far too many, and achieving a goal of zero road fatalities is something that we share as representatives of our community across this place, the other place and right across the country.

Whilst recent figures indicate that we may be trending towards lower road fatalities this year, we must remain vigilant and ensure that road users make good decisions and take responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others. I recognise during this week and all weeks the work being done in government agencies and by road safety partners to reduce the instances of drink driving, and commend the hard work that has recently resulted in the lowest drink-driving rates recorded in 10 years.

This year, approximately 500,000 alcohol tests have been administered to drivers on our roads, with over 4,400 tests returning readings above .05. A return rate of alcohol tests exceeding the legal limit of almost 1 per cent is still unacceptable. These drivers are putting their own lives at risk, the lives of others at risk and it simply won't be tolerated by this government. Poor decisions are still being made by motorists on the roads and, sadly, distraction is now the number one cause of death on our roads: simple things like using your phone, changing the air conditioner and touching the radio. It’s everybody's job to get home safely.

This government will continue to work with SAPOL and road safety experts to reduce the instances of serious road accidents resulting in death and injury and the often long-lasting devastation to our communities that they cause. Each of these 275 tragedies has its own unique story. I urge all South Australians, this week and every week, to think about what their story will be and the story of their loved ones if they make one of these poor decisions and fail to get home safely.