Almost three times as many men as women have died on western region roads this year, new data shows and a road safety advocate says it’s time to face the issue.
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The three-to-one ratio of male to female deaths is similar to that seen across the state, where the road toll is trending up after an all-time low in 2014.
The data is for all road users including drivers, riders, pedestrians and passengers.
NRMA advocacy manager Wade O’Leary said the numbers were shocking and it was time to face the truth.
“The NSW road toll is skyrocketing mainly because of the behaviour of men behind the wheel,” he said in a recent NRMA article.
He cited figures showing men had been typically twice as likely to die on NSW roads, but in 2016 the ratio had become more than three to one.
Mr O’Leary said 2014 had the lowest number of deaths since records were first kept 90 years ago.
He told the Daily Liberal it was a tragedy the road toll had increased in 2015 and was trending the same this year.
“It's also important to point out that there are men who have died on the road through no fault of their own, and women have been at fault in fatal crashes,” he said.
“And the number of women dying hasn't gone down, it's just the number of men dying has risen so sharply.”
Mr O’Leary said advertising targeting men could be only part of the answer.
“I think we need to engage the entire community - reach out to mothers, fathers, wives, children, workmates and teammates,” he said.
The Centre for Road Safety reports there have been a total of 23 male road user fatalities since January this year in the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) western region.
In the same period eight female road users died.
Twelve of the men who died in the region were motor vehicle drivers and another three were motorcycle riders.
In NSW 172 male road users and 53 female road users died in the same period.
Centre executive director Bernard Carlon said the only road toll that was acceptable was zero.
“We know that speed and fatigue related fatalities have increased this year and we urge drivers to be careful and not take risks,” he said.
“Even small mistakes on our roads can have devastating consequences.
“The NSW government is investing a record $309 million in road safety programs this year. . . but we all share a responsibility to reduce trauma on our roads.
“Our message to everyone on the road is to be aware that your behaviour has consequences – stick to the speed limit, don’t drive tired, and have a plan B for getting home safely if you have a few drinks.”