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Another 13 people were tragically killed on South Australian roads in February, making this the worst start to the year on our roads since 2010 – and the equal-second worst since the turn of the century.
An alarming 24 people lost their lives on SA roads in January and February, compared with just 12 at the same time last year.
It comes as another two lives were lost on SA roads this morning, taking the current total to 26.
In addition, 160 people have been seriously injured, which is also the worst number in over a decade.
If the current rate of road trauma was to continue for the rest of the year, South Australia will be looking at an annual lives lost total not seen since the early 2000s.
RAA Senior Manager Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain said the data was serious cause for concern.
“The number of lives lost and serious injuries on SA roads so far this year has been alarming.
“What we have seen in January and February reminds us that we can never be complacent when we get behind the wheel or share the road with others.
“While South Australia’s road fatality numbers in 2022 were a record low, nationally there was an increase, meaning there was little reason to be positive about SA’s numbers.
“What we’re seeing now is a significant and worrying trend in the wrong direction.”
In the month of February, on average almost one life was lost on the state’s roads almost every two days, making February’s monthly total even more worrying than January’s.
Mr Mountain said the crash data shows that while all age groups have been represented in lives lost so far this year, those aged 60 and above have accounted for 38 per cent. More than half of these victims were vulnerable road users (2x motorcyclists, 2x pedestrian, 1x cyclist).
“The data also shows that 71 per cent of the lives lost so far in 2023 have been on our regional roads, highlighting how vulnerable our country drivers are.
“Factors such as distraction and fatigue are major contributors to crashes, so it is essential we’re well rested, calm and focused when driving or riding.
“There is still a lot of work to be done if we are to achieve the targets set out in the State’s Road Safety Strategy – being a 50 per cent reduction in lives lost and a 30 per cent reduction in serious injuries on South Australian roads by 2031.
“RAA welcomes the recently released Road Safety Action Plan that provides a range of actions to help us reach these targets.”
Note to editors
Lives lost and serious injury numbers 1998 – 2023:
| Year | Jan | Feb | Combined | Yearly total |
| 1998 | 11 | 27 | 38 | 168 |
| 1999 | 20 | 12 | 32 | 153 |
| 2000 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 166 |
| 2001 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 154 |
| 2002 | 15 | 9 | 24 | 154 |
| 2003 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 156 |
| 2004 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 139 |
| 2005 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 147 |
| 2006 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 117 |
| 2007 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 125 |
| 2008 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 99 |
| 2009 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 119 |
| 2010 | 21 | 9 | 30 | 118 |
| 2011 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 103 |
| 2012 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 94 |
| 2013 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 97 |
| 2014 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 108 |
| 2015 | 13 | 4 | 17 | 102 |
| 2016 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 86 |
| 2017 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 100 |
| 2018 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 80 |
| 2019 | 14 | 3 | 17 | 114 |
| 2020 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 93 |
| 2021 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 99 |
| 2022 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 71 |
| 2023 | 11 | 13 | 24 | – |
| Year | Jan | Feb | Combined | Yearly total |
| 1998 | 110 | 123 | 233 | 1565 |
| 1999 | 150 | 102 | 252 | 1607 |
| 2000 | 138 | 93 | 231 | 1627 |
| 2001 | 151 | 115 | 266 | 1603 |
| 2002 | 162 | 98 | 260 | 1539 |
| 2003 | 129 | 138 | 267 | 1470 |
| 2004 | 145 | 105 | 250 | 1331 |
| 2005 | 101 | 94 | 195 | 1296 |
| 2006 | 114 | 102 | 216 | 1357 |
| 2007 | 102 | 109 | 211 | 1359 |
| 2008 | 102 | 94 | 196 | 1218 |
| 2009 | 103 | 66 | 169 | 1109 |
| 2010 | 74 | 80 | 154 | 1050 |
| 2011 | 81 | 74 | 155 | 932 |
| 2012 | 52 | 66 | 118 | 761 |
| 2013 | 59 | 51 | 110 | 790 |
| 2014 | 66 | 44 | 110 | 711 |
| 2015 | 56 | 59 | 115 | 759 |
| 2016 | 56 | 50 | 106 | 692 |
| 2017 | 56 | 37 | 93 | 622 |
| 2018 | 42 | 37 | 79 | 576 |
| 2019 | 54 | 49 | 103 | 833 |
| 2020 | 61 | 74 | 135 | 715 |
| 2021 | 67 | 87 | 154 | 827 |
| 2022 | 66 | 59 | 125 | 697 |
| 2023 | 89 | 71 | 160 | – |