Inherent Unsafety of Our Present Road Use System

We doubt that Noel and Jan would accept this view, and thus the tragic outcome of their journey south from Queensland (Chapter 2). 

Consider the four most common types of crash that result in fatalities and serious injuries in Australia (percentages are only for fatal crashes and use 2006 data)  

Eliminating Serious Injury and Death from Road Transport 

This reliance on perfect behaviour by drivers and the notion that a small piece of white centreline paint on a sealed surface is sufficient to prevent head-on crashes is indicative of what we accept as normal conditions. It is, of course, our experience since childhood—we have grown up with it, and that probably explains why we do not question it. The real issue is one of risk management and whether the frequency with which this daily risk results in a crash is such as to justify the cost of replacing all two-lane, two-way roads. 

FIGURE 6.1 A centre-road installation in Sweden. Such installations have virtually eliminated fatalities in head-on crashes on treated roads. 

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