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What are the biggest road safety issues in regional Victoria?
What do Victorians think of electric cars?
My Country Road survey highlights danger on Victoria’s regional roads
RACV's 2024 My Country Road survey shows that potholes and poor road condition are the biggest safety issues on regional roads across the state, with improving road surfaces a top priority.
RACV invited motorists from across the state to take part in the 2024 My Country Road survey about the safety of roads in regional Victoria and more than 7000 people responded.
Potholes and poor road condition were the top issues identified, with an overwhelming 64 per cent of participants identifying these as the primary safety issue; up from 46 per cent in 2021.
Sixty per cent of survey participants thought that improving road surfaces should be the priority road safety solution.
RACV Head of Policy James Williams said the data from the survey indicated that the condition of regional roads had become a major safety concern for Victorians.
“As a safety advocate, it’s important that RACV closely examines 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," he said.
“The number of responses received is a strong indicator that Victorians are concerned about safety on regional roads and are calling for urgent improvement."
The survey showed the Tylden-Woodend Road was considered a major concern. Image: Matt Harvey
Where are the most dangerous regional roads in Victoria?
The Melba Highway from Coldstream to Yea received the most responses regarding safety concerns, followed by Tylden-Woodend Road from Woodend to Tylden, Kilmore Road from Monegeetta to Gisborne, and the Goulburn Valley Highway from Nagambie to Shepparton.
The most dangerous intersection in regional Victoria was identified as the junction of the Midland Highway and Howard Street in Epsom, north of Bendigo.
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.
The following 12 roads received the most responses:
- Melba Hwy, Coldstream to Yea (B300)
- Tylden-Woodend Road, Woodend to Tylden (C317)
- Kilmore Road, Monegeetta to Gisborne (C708)
- Goulburn Valley Hwy, Nagambie to Shepparton (A39)
- Princes Hwy, Warrnambool to Portland (A1)
- Western Hwy, Trawalla to Beaufort (A8)
- Bass Hwy, Jam Jerrup to Leongatha (M420/B460)
- Princes Hwy, Colac to Stonyford (A1)
- Princes Hwy, Stratford to Bairnsdale (A1)
- Great Alpine Road, Bairnsdale to Wangaratta (B500)
- Bacchus Marsh Road, Balliang to Lara (C704)
- Phillip Island Road, Phillip Island (B420)
Other key findings from the 2024 My Country Road survey
- 56 per cent of participants believe the speed limit on the top 12 most dangerous roads should be reduced.
- 61 per cent of participants identified locations where they believe the 90+ km/h speed limit should be 80/km/h or below.
- 78 per cent of responses identified a location to be dangerous or very dangerous.
- Northern Region received the highest response rate, followed by the Southwestern Region.
The Melba Highway between Coldstream to Yea received the most responses for safety concerns. Image: Matt Harvey
What are the biggest road safety issues in regional Victoria?
The number of responses to the 2024 My Country Road survey increased by more than 75 per cent from the 4,000 responses to the 2021 survey. While in 2021, dangerous driver behaviour was the biggest safety concern on regional roads, this year poor road conditions received more than double the number of responses as dangerous driver behaviour.
“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," Williams said.
“Six of the top roads identified in the 2021 survey appear again this year, including the Melba Highway, Bass Highway, Bacchus Marsh Road, Phillip Island Road, Warburton Highway, and the junction of the Midland Highway and Howard Street in Epsom.
“Sixteen of the twenty-one most dangerous roads identified in the 2021 survey received upgrades and improvements by government; but more work needs to be undertaken to improve the safety of regional roads.”
Top issues participants identified as contributing to unsafe roads:
- 64% - Potholes/road condition
- 32% - Dangerous behaviours of other drivers (for example: speeding, erratic driving)
- 29% - Narrow lanes/roads
- 26% - Intersection safety issues
- 24% - Limited overtaking opportunities
How was the My Country Road survey conducted?
The survey used an online interactive map that showed high-speed roads with large concentrations of crashes that had caused death or serious injury in regional Victoria.
The map highlighted roads with speed limits of 80km per hour or higher where there had 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 Princes Highway between Warrnambool and Portland has been identified as a major safety concern. Image: Matt Harvey
What do Victorians think of electric cars?
My Country Road was also an opportunity for participants to let RACV know what they thought of electric vehicles (EVs), and the barriers to buying one.
The results showed 36 per cent of participants had considered buying an EV, while seven per cent of the survey participants were current EV owners.
“The top two reasons participants gave for deciding not to drive an EV were that they are currently too expensive to purchase and the limited battery range,” Williams said.
How will the data from the My Country Road survey be used?
RACV will use the data from the survey to encourage the State Government and local councils to make commitments that deliver safer regional roads in Victoria.
State-wide top voted solutions:
- 60% - Improve road surface
- 23% - Wider shoulders (edges of road)
- 15% - Wider lanes
- 14% - A lower/more appropriate speed limit
- 13% - Clear trees/vegetation/other obstructions
- 12% - Intersection safety improvements.
My Country Road forms part of the Have Your Say survey series which, together with My Melbourne Road and My Home, helps RACV to continue to advocate for Victorians on the issues that are most important to them.
