The fact that anyone dies on our roads is a tragedy. One death of a loved one is one too many.
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That 24 people have been killed on Tasmanian roads so far in 2016 is simply unacceptable.
It appears for many people, the message of driving to the conditions, paying attention when they’re behind the wheel, being patient, not drinking and driving, and not speeding isn’t sinking in.
That’s evident by the fact that our road toll so far this year is higher than it was at the same time last year.
The belief, particularly from within the younger set, that they are invincible – bulletproof – or that those type of ‘things’ only happen to other people is most disturbing.
The only silver lining to be found with our road statistics is that less people have been seriously injured in 2016 compared with 2015. That would be of little comfort to many, however.
And the issue isn’t unique to Tasmania.
According to figures released by the RACT yesterday, new figures have revealed that there were 1269 deaths on Australian roads in the 12 months to June 2016, up from 1170 a year earlier.
In Tasmania, the figures showed that 41 people were killed on our roads in 2015-16 compared with 33 deaths in 2014-15, that’s up about 24 per cent.
Of most concern is the number of people seemingly oblivious to the risks – those who exhibit dangerous behaviours on our roads, as the past few weeks have proven.
Earlier this week, a motorcyclist with a pillion passenger on board, evaded police on the Midland Highway near Bridgewater in broad daylight.
According to Tasmania Police, a number of other motorists had to take evasive action - some even forced to cross on to the wrong side of the road, due to one idiot's behaviour.
A week earlier, police at Wynyard detected another motorcyclist, a 17-year-old learner, travelling at 143kmh - that’s 63kmh over the limit while weaving through traffic.
This teenager and the Bridgewater motorcyclist are nothing short of menaces to society and should be made examples of.
To risk their own lives by driving so recklessly is bad enough, but to endanger the lives of other innocent road users is selfish and repugnant
The time has come for society to show that such behaviour on the roads will not be tolerated, particularly when it puts other peoples’ lives at risk.