A total of 64 per cent of participants identified potholes and poor road conditions as the primary safety issue; up from 46 per cent in 2021.
The Melba Hwy from Coldstream to Yea received the most responses regarding safety concerns, followed by Tylden-Woodend Rd from Woodend to Tylden, Kilmore Rd from Monegeetta to Gisborne, and the Goulburn Valley Hwy from Nagambie to Shepparton.
Overall, 14 per cent of participants supported ‘a lower or more appropriate speed limit’ as a measure to improve road safety. That response rose to 56 per cent on the top 12 worst roads, highlighting that many Victorians believe reducing the speed on highly dangerous roads is an appropriate approach.
RACV head of policy James Williams said the data from the survey indicated the condition of regional roads had become a major safety concern for Victorians.
“Over 7000 Victorians have provided us with data about safety on our regional roads, with potholes or poor road condition being the number one safety issue,” Mr Williams said.
“As a safety advocate, it’s important that RACV closely examine what Victorians think are the factors contributing to unsafe road conditions, so we can provide that information to all levels of government and encourage action.
“The number of responses received is a strong indicator that Victorians are concerned about safety on regional roads and are calling for urgent improvement.
“Fifty-eight per cent of the survey participants told us that they use the road they identified every day, and that level of local knowledge has been invaluable to identifying Victoria’s most unsafe roads.”
Six of the top roads identified in the 2021 survey appear again this year, including the Melba Hwy, Bass Hwy, Bacchus Marsh Rd, Phillip Island Rd, Warburton Hwy, and the junction of the Midland Hwy and Howard St in Epsom.
The survey used an online interactive map that showed high-speed roads with large concentrations of crashes causing death or serious injury in regional Victoria.
The map highlighted roads with speed limits of 80km per hour or higher where there have been fatal or serious crashes for the five-year period between 2018 and 2023.
Participants provided feedback by clicking on one of the highlighted roads and filling out a survey. Participants were also welcome to nominate another road in regional Victoria that they felt posed a risk to drivers.
The VFF says lack of basic road maintenance is a major factor behind the sobering results highlighted in the RACV’s My Country Road survey.
VFF president Emma Germano said it was further proof the Victorian Government must introduce a plan to fix the state’s crumbling roads.
“Regional Victorians more than anyone know their roads are wrecked and the total lack of road maintenance is a huge reason why,” Ms Germano said.
“In the past year, government spending on resurfacing and resealing roads has declined by 81 per cent. Not only does that condemn our roads to ruin, it’s also a very real safety hazard that regional Victorians face every day.”
Ms Germano said the condition of Victoria’s roads was having a direct impact on the cost to produce food.
“Transporters are having to use longer alternative routes to avoid dangerous roads. That adds significant cost to farmers and consumers in being able to get produce to market.”
The full results of the My Country Road survey are available at: racv.com.au/haveyoursay
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