The road toll in N.S.W. last year showed some encouraging signs – the lowest recorded figures since 1923 yet sadly still accounting for 297 lives, a reduction of 16 per cent on 2019 but back in 1978 fatalities totalled 1378. Reduced traffic due to the coronavirus was a contributing factor but also one can’t overlook the big improvements in vehicle safety in recent years. We also forget that there has been a big increase in the number of vehicles and today there are more than 5.6 million registered motor vehicles on N.S.W. roads. One statistic that’s really disturbing is that 1 in 4 fatalities last year involved an unrestrained person. I always remember an interesting session with the head of vehicle safety at Mercedes-Benz Germany who made it quite clear that a seat belt is by far the best safety device one can have in a car. The fact people continue to drive today without wearing their seat belt beggars belief.

I’m David Berthon

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