Page 2672 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 26 September 2007
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• ACT vehicles have the highest percentage of kilometres travelled interstate out of all Australian states and territories (22 per cent of total vehicle kilometres travelled).
• Interstate travel by ACT vehicles is four times the national average.
• An annual average of 19 per cent of total kilometres travelled by.ACT vehicles occurs in NSW—equating to 86 per cent of interstate travel by ACT vehicles.
• ACT vehicles were 2.6 times more likely to be involved in an injury crash in NSW than in the ACT per vehicle kilometre.
• NSW vehicles were 1.3 times more likely to be involved in an injury crash in NSW as ACT vehicles in NSW per vehicle kilometre.
• ACT vehicles were 3.3 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash in NSW than in the ACT per vehicle kilometre.
Why do I mention these statistics, Mr Speaker? The answer is simple: we are safer drivers compared with our crossborder counterparts.
My fellow Assembly member Mr Pratt has often talked about provisional drivers and said that the ACT should inflict greater restrictions upon them. Mr Pratt has sent out many press statements calling on our government to do more to infringe on the rights of young drivers. Mr Pratt, it could be said, has a cynical view of young drivers—that they are reckless and dangerous to have on our roads. I seek leave to table a statement made by Mr Pratt dated 24 October 2006.
Leave granted.
MR GENTLEMAN: The statement reads:
The incidents of multiple deaths and injuries in P-plate driven vehicles are trending up across the country. Here in the ACT there have been a number of accidents resulting in too many deaths and injuries.
Through you, Mr Speaker, I am not too sure where Mr Pratt is getting his information from, but I believe it is incorrect. A report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau in July this year states that between August 2005 to July 2006 and August 2006 to July 2007, there has been an 8.6 per cent reduction in road deaths of people between the ages of 17 and 20 years and a 17 per cent reduction in road deaths of people aged 21 to 25. I am no mathematician, but I believe these figures clearly demonstrate a downward trend.
I am sure Mr Pratt will be able to counter the ATSB report with some evidence that accidents causing deaths among young drivers in ACT are on the up. Mr Pratt has said that there are a growing number of incidents of reckless driving among P-platers here in the ACT. Again, I disagree. That statement is attached to the previous statement by Mr Pratt that those numbers are going up, which was tabled.
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