By YASEMIN TALAT
NEW data shows a dramatic 120 per cent increase in fatalities on the roads of Wyndham.
According to the latest Traffic Accident Commission (TAC) statistics, Melbourne as a whole experienced a 16 per cent reduction in road fatalities between April 2012 and April 2013.
But Wyndham was part of a minority of suburbs which experienced an increase.
In Wyndham, there were 11 road fatalities between April 2012 and April 2013 and almost half of these were caused by excessive speed, the biggest killer on our roads.
Other fatalities in Wyndham in the year to April were caused by factors such as alcohol and drugs, heavy vehicles and the absence of run-off-road protection.
Vice-President of Road Trauma Families Victoria, Lisa Markovic, said road safety education should be taught before drivers even received a Learners permit.
“The message is obviously not getting through,” Ms Markovic said.
“As a state the numbers have come down in the last 20 years, which makes it more concerning that Wyndham in particular has had such a spike,” she said.
Ms Markovic said young drivers and a predominate car culture in Wyndham were part of the reason roads were not safe.
“Most people think it’s never going to be them,” Ms Markovic said.
“You’re not immune from this because you’re young or because you’ve gotten away with it before,” she said.
“It’s astounding they keep taking these risks.”
Ms Markovic said Wyndham had exploded with a car culture.
“There is a real car culture and a hoon culture,” she said.
“When something becomes a culture it’s very hard to break that down and get rid of it.”
Ms Markovic said the larger community of Wyndham needed to band together to fight against the danger on the roads.
“None of us want this in our streets and in our community, no one wants that danger, no one wants to worry that people are constantly doing the wrong thing,” she said.
“It’s a very negative element in our community and its destroying families and its destroying lives.”
