Smoothing the “rough” surfaces that make up about 30 per cent of the Newell Highway could significantly reduce crashes and be a potential lifesaver, new research shows.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Treating those sections of the major freight corridor, which links Queensland and Victoria via Dubbo, could drive down crashes by as much as 43 per cent on them, according to the analysis.
The Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) released the research, contending the Newell was the “obvious place to start improving road roughness”.
The ARRB analysed a number of major corridors, including the Newell, the Pacific, the New England and the Hume highways.
ARRB chief Michael Caltabiano said the figures showed there was a really clear relationship between the roughness of the road and the safety outcomes that could be achieved if the roughness was fixed.
“Treating the rough sections of the Newell road surface would reduce crashes on those sections by as much as 43 per cent,” he said.
“This also represents a 13 per cent reduction in the number of fatality crashes for the entire length of the Newell. We’ve analysed a number of major interstate roads, but the Newell… is where we can really make an immediate difference.”
About 30 per cent of the Newell Highway has a roughness measure of greater than 80 NRM, the research shows.
For drivers, that means a strong vibration in the steering wheel coming directly from the road surface.
“Looking at the national picture, our research indicates that improving road sections with rough surface conditions would reduce the number of fatal and serious injury accidents by around 7 per cent,” Mr Caltabiano said.
“With the annual cost of fatal and serious injury road accidents in Australia at $4.3 billion, that’s a great return on investment no matter where you are in Australia.
“But with the accident reductions available on the Newell much higher than the national average at up to 13 per cent, it’s the obvious place to start improving road roughness.
“It would be a very significant step change in safety outcomes for all motorists on the Newell.”
The ARRB research was undertaken by overlaying data it collected for road agencies with other data to find trends.
The work would provide guidance to state road agencies - its members - “on how they might go about doing things differently”, Mr Caltabiano said.
He gave “credit where credit was due” to the NSW government for the work it was embarking on.
“The NSW government’s response for the Newell Highway NSW is they’ve got a $500 million investment going into the Newell, and it will address some of these issues, which is fantastic,” he said.
“Happy to give them full praise for that huge program.
“They’ve actually embarked on this journey with us and are doing some work.”
The condition of the Newell is a topic of conversation among drivers signed up to Channel 40, CEO Josh Mullens reported.
Channel 40 is an online platform linking owner drivers with people with freight needs, and was founded by Dubbo businessman Tom Cavanagh.
Mr Mullens welcomed the release of the research on Thursday.
“...if [the Newell] can be made a little bit smoother, and even possibly in some sections wider, because some trucks can be quite wide, if it is that little bit wider and smoother, it’s going to make a massive difference to the road safety,” he said.
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
