Transport for NSW data reveals Dubbo's most deadly roads from 2016 to 2020

The Daily Liberal analysed Transport for NSW data relating to motor vehicle crashes in the Dubbo Regional Council area from 2016 to 2020 to identify the region's most dangerous roads.

Although the Mitchell Highway had the most crashes out of anywhere in the Dubbo region over the four years with 206, only five of these crashes resulted in a fatality compared to seven crashes out of the 105 on the Newell Highway - three of which resulted in double fatalities.

Fatalities also occurred on Blathery Creek Road, Boothenba Road, Brisbane Street, Bullaburra Road, Collie Road, Gollan Road, Mogriguy Road and Old Dubbo Road.

Overall there were 832 crashes in the Dubbo council area in the five-year period. Of these crashes, 26 resulted in a fatality and 191 resulted in a serious injury.

The top ten streets for car crashes over the reporting period were the Mitchell Highway (206), Newell Highway (105), Golden Highway (50), Burrendong Way (50), Fitzroy Street (24), Boundary Road (17), Macquarie Street (16), Darling Street (15), Brisbane Street (13), Renshaw McGirr Way (12) and Goolma Road (12).

2016 was the most dangerous year on the roads, with a total of 191. The total number of crashes dropped to 167 in 2017 and then to 166 in 2018 before reaching a low of 146 in 2019. The number of crashes rose again in 2020 to 162.

The crash which involved the highest number of vehicles was a seven-vehicle crash on the Newell Highway in 2018.

The incident - which authorities on the scene described as "absolute carnage" - occurred after a truck slammed into traffic held up by roadworks and resulted in the death of a young couple.

A majority of the crashes recorded occurred after vehicles collided with other vehicles or roadside objects but there were also 23 incidents involving a vehicle colliding with an animal and 32 involving a vehicle and a pedestrian.

The data for crashes this year is yet to be collated but the Newell Highway remains a deadly stretch of road. In February, a 67-year-old man lost his life after a collision with a 24-year-old L-plater about 50 kilometres south of Dubbo.

The Mitchell Highway between Dubbo and Wellington has also seen fatalities this year with a 69-year old woman losing her life in a two-car collision near Wongarbon just this month.

The crash was part of a "horror weekend" which saw eight lives lost on roads across NSW, leading police to issue a renewed plea for safety on the roads.

"Every day, we are forced to hand out fines, suspend licences and seize the vehicles of those who seem happy to put road-users' lives at risk," said Traffic and Highway Patrol commander Trent King.

"We much prefer taking these actions than we do knocking on the front door of a home late at night to inform a family that they have lost a loved one."

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