Almost a third of Australian motorists think rural roads are safer despite them dominating almost 65 per cent of the road toll, new data has found.
The Australian Road Safety Foundation’s new data shows almost 1 in 3 Australians (29 per cent) said they believe that rural roads are safer than urban streets, and more than a quarter (27 per cent) say they relax their safety standards when outside city limits.
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But regional, rural and remote areas make up 820 of the 1,297 road deaths recorded in 2024.
The ARSF has partnered with major insurer Suncorp to push the safety message be part of the focus for Rural Road safety month in September.
Time to rethink
Suncorp Chief Executive Consumer Insurance Lisa Harrison say the figures show complacency and misplaced confidence are costing lives on country roads.
“Every day, we see the devastating effects road accidents have on people’s lives and we want to be part of the solution and that means raising awareness and educating Australians on safer driving behaviours,” Harrison says.
“It doesn’t matter if you live in a rural, regional or remote community, or if you’re just driving through, this Rural Road Safety Month we’re calling on all drivers to step up and make a commitment to drive safer.”
In the new ARSF research, 44 per cent of Australians confessed to breaking a road rule while driving in a regional area, with the most common offences speeding (39 per cent), driving while fatigued (17 per cent) and using a mobile phone (12 per cent).
Education key
ARSF Founder & Chair Russell White says the findings highlight the urgent need for ongoing education and awareness.
“These statistics aren’t just numbers – they represent choices. Every time someone picks up their phone, speeds or skips a rest break, they’re making a decision that could cost a life,” he said.
“With more than 9 in 10 Australians (92 per cent) using regional roads and more than half (56 per cent) doing so at least monthly the message is clear: rural road safety isn’t just a regional issue, it’s a national responsibility.”
Changing attitudes on rural roads
Suncorp Senior Claims Advisor for CTP (Compulsory Third Party) Insurance Jessica works at Suncorp’s new regional hub in North Queensland and here involvement with crash incidents on country roads has given her insights into what could change attitudes.
“A lot of incidents happen outside of the city because of speeding, wildlife and road conditions,” Jessica says.
“In some rural communities, it is normal for people to drive for more than an hour just to go grocery shopping. Your concentration tends to wander on long drives so the message to get out there is to slow down. Doing the speed limit may mean an extra 10 or 15 minutes of driving, but it could save your life.”
“Importantly, it is about understanding that it is definitely not safer on rural roads, there may be less traffic but there are different hazards. A hazard that is generally more prevalent on rural than urban roads is wildlife.
“Be very mindful if you are travelling at dawn or dusk as that is when there is a lot of wildlife movement,” Jessica said. “Another thing to be aware of is that during drought a lot of animals come to the edges of the road as water collects in ditches.
“There are also rural areas where there is no fence for livestock, so you need to travel at a speed level where you can take all these encounters into consideration.”
Better preparation and education
The ARSF research showed that almost 9 in 10 (89 per cent) drivers don’t review any road safety tips or guidelines and 8 in 10 (82 per cent) don’t consider fatigue or schedule rest breaks.
This is compounded by the 43 per cent of drivers who don’t check if their car is roadworthy and 38 per cent forget to check they have enough fuel.
“Plan for breaks – get out of your car every two hours and walk around, even if it is just for five minutes,” Jessica said.
The new report found that almost 8 in 10 drivers (79 per cent) say road safety messaging makes them a more responsible road user.
Signs, news coverage and real-life stories were identified as the most powerful motivators for change.
“The data shows that education works,’ White says. “People respond to reminders, stories and signs, so our goal for Rural Road Safety Month is to ensure those messages are seen, heard and felt in the moments that matter.”