Driver complacency bringing deadly results

By Murray Silby

Sep 15, 2023

**Driver beware:** Shepparton Search and Rescue president Nacole Standfield has told a parliamentary inquiry that the service has attended more than 60 road crashes since January. Photo by Megan Fisher

A Goulburn Valley search and rescue organisation says a lack of driving during the COVID-19 lockdowns has meant some drivers have virtually lost the ability to drive.

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Shepparton Search and Rescue appeared before the Legislative Assembly Economy and Infrastructure Committee inquiry into road safety behaviours, which sat in Shepparton on Wednesday, September 13.

Speaking after her appearance, the volunteer group’s president, Nacole Standfield, said its members had attended more than 60 road crashes this year, a dozen of them fatal.

“We have definitely seen an increase in road crashes in this area this year,” Ms Standfield said.

“Since January, we have attended roughly 62 road crashes. We’ve attended 12 fatalities, and we’ve done 14 live casualty extrications.

“It definitely takes a toll on everybody who attends the scene, but has a ripple effect and spreads back out into that community, each road crash that we have.”

The inquiry is investigating how road safety behaviours have changed during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s also considering the impact the changes have had on vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycle riders, children seven and under, older people and mobility device users.

Ms Standfield said some drivers had lost the ability to drive responsibly since the pandemic lockdowns.

“Pretty much,” she said.

“I believe it’s complacency due to COVID. (There was) not as much traffic on the road, people weren’t driving as much, people have become complacent with that, but I also believe that more education needs to be done for our younger generations as they move up towards getting their licence.”

She said road conditions may have contributed to the road toll, noting that some warning signs were too close to the hazard they warned drivers about.

“In a small way, road conditions may be contributing,” she said.

“It’s really hard to tell. It’s everything combined into one.”

Shepparton Search and Rescue, an independent rescue unit, has been working in an expanded area this year to assist Numurkah and Tatura SES units that are down on volunteer numbers.

Ms Standfield said the crash numbers were having an impact on her team.

“It’s up a lot on other years,” she said.

“Obviously, it wears them out, burns them out a little bit, especially after the floods, to have such a high road crash count already, but we have great access to peer support and the clinical team through our MOU (memorandum of understanding) with VICSES.”