A series of freak weather events, coupled with par-for-the-course funding shortages, have left much of Australia’s road work in a sorry state … and that’s putting all motorists at risk.
A new survey has shown that close to 70% of Australian road users believe roads are not being adequately maintained to keep drivers safe.
Slater and Gordon research conducted by Roy Morgan showed 67% of those surveyed felt roads were not being properly looked after.
Slater and Gordon Roads Associate, Emma Bussoletti, said Australian roads – in NSW, Queensland and Victoria in particular – had been under major strain following extreme weather events including flooding and heavy rain … and more needed to be done.
Construction works on Springfield Road have been successfully completed. PIC: Snowy Monaro Regional Council
“Heavy rain has resulted in billions of dollars’ worth of damage and it’s likely we will see the tragic consequences of this with a potential rise in avoidable accidents on our roads,” she said. “In some regional and rural areas, roads have just about been washed away.”
Ms Bussoletti said she hopes that drawing more attention to local road issues would get damaged roads assessed more quickly and re-surfacing work done promptly.
“Many of the injured road users we hear from seeking legal support have been involved in accident involving poorly maintained road surfaces such as potholes,” she said. “A lack of road maintenance can create significant hazards for motorists and can result in avoidable crashes involving injuries and event fatalities.”
Ms Bussoletti urged motorists to report any road maintenance hazards to the appropriate authority, depending on who manages the road, at the earliest opportunity.
“With some main roads having been closed due to flooding, there was no other option but to take vehicles on alternative roads with some being poor quality or unmade,” she said. “No one should have to risk their car being damaged or risk being in an accident due to a poorly maintained or unsealed road.”
Despite the scale of the task ahead, it is important to note that progress is being made in sone areas. In NSW, for example, Snowy Monaro Regional Council has just announced that construction works carried out on Springfield Road have been successfully completed, with the road now fully open for public use
The project was delivered in two stages, for a total length of four kilometres, along with important improvements to the unsealed section of the road that included sealing of the pavement, drainage improvements, culvert extensions, signage and line marking.
Work on Springfield Road is part of a broader program of works funded under the NSW Government Fixing Local Roads Program
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We have just spent 8 months travelling nsw , Victoria, S.A. South Australian roads are fantastic. Plenty of overtaking lanes, rest areas and dump points in every small town. As for the rest they are shocking and we missed the ones that had been flooded. If they had repaired any it was already breaking up because it was badly done. Hardly any rest areas close to highway’s, definitely no dump points. Money and lots of it needs spending on our roads.
Roads are safe. They definitely require repair work to make them better but what makes roads dangerous is the actions of the people travelling on them. Driving has become so ubiquitous that many do not give the task the full attention and concentration it requires. Drive to the condition, not the speed limit. If the road is in poor condition, the driver needs to take more care. A pothole can’t bounce you off the road if you’re driving well enough avoid it or cross it at a low speed.
Queensland roads are in a bad state and need many millions spent on them. The government need a big shake up