Take care on the roads in 2014 (especially in the country)

[Anne B]

I know this subject has been discussed many times before, but I have uncovered some scary statistics on road deaths here in South Australia.

 

Essex (my home county) and South Australia have approximately the same population (Essex 1,729,000 South Australia 1,670,000)

 

Total road deaths 2013 in Essex 41 (22 people in vehicles, 5 motorcyclists, 11 pedestrians, 3 cyclists)

Total road deaths 2013 in South Australia 99 (71 people in vehicles, 11 motorcyclists, 13 pedestrians, 4 cyclists)

 

It's a pretty big difference!

 

The scariest fact is that 57 of these road deaths in South Australia are in the country, with 42 in Adelaide.

Obviously comparing Essex with SA is a bit like comparing apples with pears, but Essex also has both rural and built-up areas, as well as large stretches of motorway (M25 and M11).

 

So my main message, especially to newcomers, is drive carefully and stay safe in 2014.

 

(The SA government website says the total is 97 but if you add up the sub-totals for individual months it comes to 99!)

[Guest Guest12727]

More than 30% of the SA deaths occurred in people not wearing seat belts!!

[Blossom]

Where did you find the figures? I was looking a while ago as I was convinced there are far more deaths on the road here but couldn't find any.

[Anne B]

Where did you find the figures? I was looking a while ago as I was convinced there are far more deaths on the road here but couldn't find any.

http://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/roadsafety/road_crash_facts/sa_crashes

[Lily Rainbow]

One of my best mates was driving in the hills 3 mths ago when her car hit spilt diesel on the road.Her car skidded and she ended up rolling and upside down!Luckily she was ok apart from a broken wrist.People drive way too fast around those roads (not saying she was btw)and lose control and find their car wrapped around a gum tree!

[Blossom]

http://www.dpti.sa.gov.au/roadsafety/road_crash_facts/sa_crashes

Sorry, I meant the UK ones lol.

[jtct]

I find they drive far too fast (especially in the hills), have no idea about leaving a gap between them and the car in front (I'm convinced I have a magnet on the back of the car we get so many tail-gaters (and, yes, I do keep to the speed limit but don't drive particularly slowly!)

 

They don't seem to understand that driving conditions vary during and after heavy rain. As for round-a-bouts, lane switching and signalling ..... don't get me started. Patience and courtesy seem non-existent too especially in inner suburb junctions and shopping mall car parks.

 

These antics result in 'bingles' rather than serious accidents most of the time thankfully

 

(I'm by no means perfect but passed the Advanced motoring Course 30 years ago)

Edited January 4, 2014 by jtct

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

I have a magnet on the back of the car

 

Oh Jane and Clive, don't show off everyone has one of those here......I think they come fitted as standard!

[Diane]

They don't seem to understand that driving conditions vary during and after heavy rain.

 

Oooh don't get me started on how people drive in the rain here! The number of grey cars that think they don't need to put their lights on when it's raining, even though their car looks the same colour as the road, and people have obviously got rain on their mirrors so a car without lights is harder to pick out...

 

Mind you, the road markings also disappear completely when it rains here!

[zebedee]

The locals are lovely....until they get behind the wheel of a car and then they seem to change into monsters. Totally agree on the road conditions in the rain.....very tricky to see.

[Trickyshel]

well I don't suppose any one will agree us.

 

we believe one of the biggest problems with the Australian roads is the speed limits and the way they are policed. because the fines are so heavy everyone drives on cruise control or studying the speedo,,,, frighten that they may go over the speed limit by a couple of kph... and receive a fine of at least a couple of days wages!. more time is spent concentrating hard on watching their speedo than driving to the conditions of the road or watching the roads..... most cars in top gear a change of speed of 10 kph is only a difference of 250 rpm in the engine speed ... but with a 10 mph change as on English roads you are head towards 500 rpm... much easy to notice if you are speeding, without looking at the speedo all the time.

 

so you end up driving so slow you get fatigued. I have never felt tied when I have been racing (on a track) but I have driving on Australian roads... and not because I have been driving for 2 hours.

 

The way these speed limits are set...... in town the speed limit with pavements and shops is 60kph. in the towns in the hills its 50!..... enter Birdwood from the Woodside end and it go's from 100 to 80... then down to 50 about 400 yards out of town with nothing about but the cemetery in view! Enter Lyndoch from Gawler and it go's from 90 to 50 with a child's playground within 20 yards.

 

drive through Gawler high street its limit is 50 but you wont want to do more than 40....

 

Because everyone is so frightened of a speeding fine..... you end up with the 60 kph grand prix,,,, everyone races off the lights and stops at the speed limit..... travelling in a pack..... if you leave the 2 second gap behind the car in front.....as we English drivers were taught... a Holden fills it...

 

if you are in the wrong lane for the turn you want to make further down the road..... you will find a Falcon by your side doing the exact same speed. slow down to go behind them....and they will slow down.. thinking there must be a speed camera they have missed or a new speed sign..... so you have to go slower, till they have checked their speedo.

 

Then you get the orange light on the corners of a Commodore... NO.... Mirror, signal, manoeuvre.......more brake..... and hit the indicator stork as you turn the wheel..

 

 

you will notice that most of the Aussies don't know how to drive round corner... especially in the Adelaide hills through the chain of ponds... the limits are mostly 80 through the tightest of corners (not that 80 is possible) Then some drivers don't want to speed up on the straights although it is perfectly safe to do so. There are pull in areas for drivers wishing to drive slowly and let other past..... NO cant do that, they want everyone to sit behind them as they brake into and all the way through the corner.... Dear Aussies try braking before the corner and accelerate out!! that would be a novelty.

 

we are not saying every one should be speeding..... we are saying too much importance has been place on a numerical number and enforcing it than education and common sense. Drivers being aware and alert is far more important than slowing you down by 6 mph!!

 

the Uk roads are faster with less body count!

[Anne B]

I got the traffic stats for Essex from a local newspaper website http://www.hertsandessexobserver.co.uk/News/Uttlesford/Essex-motorcyclist-fatalities-down-69-but-driver-and-pedestrian-death-toll-up-50-20140101105259.htm - not sure what the original source is.

 

you will notice that most of the Aussies don't know how to drive round corner... especially in the Adelaide hills through the chain of ponds... the limits are mostly 80 through the tightest of corners (not that 80 is possible) Then some drivers don't want to speed up on the straights although it is perfectly safe to do so. There are pull in areas for drivers wishing to drive slowly and let other past..... NO cant do that, they want everyone to sit behind them as they brake into and all the way through the corner.... Dear Aussies try braking before the corner and accelerate out!! that would be a novelty.

 

 

Agree with all you have written but this is especially true. I must admit, having been brought up with a manual car, I do find driving automatics on hilly bendy roads rather frustrating - they never seem to change gear at the right time - so I think some of the blame must lie with the fact that most cars are automatics here. Plus if you spend 90% of your time driving round Adelaide in a straight line at 50 or 60 kph, a bend in the road can be challenging! We went back to England for a holiday in June and for the 1st couple of hours the traffic seemed so scary (especially on the M25). Once I got behind the wheel the confidence came back and driving was so much fun!

[minty]

How do we know that the person driving the car in front is an Aussie? I personally think the roads and driving are no worse then back home but then I traveled into London daily down the M3, M25, and M4.

 

Speeding is the no1 cause of accidents though so the limits and fines that go with them are OK by me.

 

Not had a ticket yet as I just don't speed.

[NicF]

I got the traffic stats for Essex from a local newspaper website http://www.hertsandessexobserver.co.uk/News/Uttlesford/Essex-motorcyclist-fatalities-down-69-but-driver-and-pedestrian-death-toll-up-50-20140101105259.htm - not sure what the original source is.

 

 

 

Agree with all you have written but this is especially true. I must admit, having been brought up with a manual car, I do find driving automatics on hilly bendy roads rather frustrating - they never seem to change gear at the right time - so I think some of the blame must lie with the fact that most cars are automatics here. Plus if you spend 90% of your time driving round Adelaide in a straight line at 50 or 60 kph, a bend in the road can be challenging! We went back to England for a holiday in June and for the 1st couple of hours the traffic seemed so scary (especially on the M25). Once I got behind the wheel the confidence came back and driving was so much fun!

 

I think you may just have a point with the automatic cars on bendy roads. I like the auto around town - so much easier with all the traffic lights, but not so good if you hit a bend slightly too fast on a windy road.

[Blossom]

I see just as many people speeding here as I did in the uk. I do the speed limit, did in the uk too. This is because I believe in speed limits and road rules, not because I'm worried about getting a ticket. I also speed up to the speed limit quickly, and believe me, I'm in the minority there! One of my pet hates is how many people take ages to speed up, but then go on to speed.

I drive as part of my job and I see speeding all the time. I also see dawdling all the time too. Often 20 or do km under the speed limit.

 

The corners thing does p me off too. Especially when there are two lanes going around a corner and rather than following the lines in the road, other cars will take the path of least resistance and cut across your lane! Most drivers seem to have no awareness of what is around them.

I do also think the automatics make a difference on bendy roads. I know mine won't let me speed up as fast as I would in a manual.