There has been a recent lift of the veil of road safety rating in Australia that provides a clearer outlook to drivers on which highways and urban streets are the most unsafe. The governments of Victoria, Western Australia, Northern Territory and the ACT have published their hitherto secret safety ratings so that communities can determine dangerous sections and demand more evidence-based investment in infrastructure upgrades.
| Road Name | State/Area | Rating (Stars) |
|---|---|---|
| Amy Johnson Ave | NT/Darwin | 1 |
| M7 Motorway | NSW/Sydney | 5 |
| CityLink Toll Road | VIC/Melbourne | 5 |
| Plenty Road | VIC/Bundoora | 2 |
| Kings Highway | ACT | 4 |
In the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP) roads are now rated using a basic star rating system – one star being the most dangerous and five stars being the safest. The additional stars are in effect a fifty percent reduction in the deadly or major harm threat. This step can be taken as an enormous step in the direction of transparency and accountability as it allows individuals and policy-makers to make decisions based on objective data and not on political priorities.
Why Transparency Matters
With the accessibility of such rankings, the Australians can now compare the government spending easily with the reality risk profiles. Such alignment would perhaps save lives, as money is spent on the most dangerous places instead of being spent on projects that are politically motivated. The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has been instrumental in the campaign to have states publish this hitherto confidential information, which is in line with the demands of the populace on accountability and safer highways.
Deadliest Roads Revealed
The ratings that have just been published underline the necessity of action. As an example, the number of road deaths in Australia in the past 12 months is 1,353 the highest in years since 2010. Certain infamous streets like Amy Johnson Avenue adjacent to Darwin, a few streets of the Perth CBD and country roads surrounding mining towns continue to bear the infamous one-star rating. In the meantime, there are only a few 5-star roads such as the Sydney M7 and the CityLink toll road in Melbourne, and with this in mind, the highest safety standards are not available but an exception.
How Ratings Are Determined
Such ratings are not derived out of thin air. They also look at things like the amount of traffic, speed restrictions, curves and even bicycle or walking paths. The information comes as a source of iRAP (International Road Assessment Program), which is an entity aimed at eradicating high-risk roads around the world. The interactive AusRAP dashboard allows users to explore data on hyper-local level and identify the worst offenders in their locality.
What the everyday drivers need to know is the implication of this.
Availability of objective safety information can equip Australians with the ability to use safer routes and promote upgrades in their local areas. The Lake Mountain Road and Healesville-Kinglake Road in Victoria, and the Plenty Road at Bundoora (reputed as the worst crash spot in the country) are not places to rest, with their poor ratings. There have even been drastic-speed limit cuts in some suburbs such as Collingwood, in an attempt to contain the menace.
### Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1 What does a one-star road rating entail?
A one star rating is the greatest risk of death or severe injury because of the design, the traffic or insufficient safety measures.
Q2: How would everyday drivers make use of the road ratings of AusRAP?
Drivers can now travel knowing the safety ratings and take safer routes and pressurize the government on insecure regions.
Question 3: Does Australia have five-star roads?
Yes; some, by the virtue of having stretches of the M7 in Sydney and the CityLink in Melbourne, were demonstrating the standard of safety.
