The number of people hospitalized due to road accidents has been on the rise over the past decade, with men, rural communities, and pedestrians being the hardest hit.

A new study led by Dr. Ali Soltani from Flinders University dives into the data on road injuries in Australia, detailing what can be done to enhance road safety across the nation.

Dr. Soltani notes, “Even with the launch of Australia’s first National Road Safety Strategy back in 1992, road accidents remain a significant issue. On average, we see four deaths and 90 serious injuries every day.” He further explains that while considerable time and money have been invested in reducing road casualties, it’s essential to foresee the frequency and seriousness of accidents to improve safety.

Published in the journal Case Studies on Transport Policy, Dr. Soltani and his team utilized advanced machine learning techniques to assess injury and fatality data in a groundbreaking way. This research combined over a decade of hospital admission figures and 35 years of death records from the Australian Government’s Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics.

Dr. Soltani shared, “From 2011 to 2019, we saw a consistent rise in hospitalizations due to crashes, with a brief dip in 2020 because of pandemic lockdowns.”

He added, “Not only are hospitalization rates increasing, but we are also observing more severe injuries among certain groups. This is alarming, especially with national goals aiming for a 30% reduction in serious injuries by 2030.”

The study uncovered several key points:

• Almost two-thirds of hospitalizations (64.8%) involve men, who also face more severe injuries compared to women.
• Older Australians, particularly those over 75, have the longest recovery periods—averaging 9.3 days in the hospital per incident—almost double that of younger adults.
• Pedestrians suffer the most severe injuries, with one-third requiring stays of six days or more; motorcyclists and cyclists also shared similar experiences.
• While cities see more accidents, regional victims often sustain more severe injuries and spend longer in hospitals, likely due to differences in speed limits and infrastructure.

The authors stress that the current generic road safety strategies are not effectively safeguarding the most vulnerable populations.

“This isn’t just about statistics. Our analysis sheds light on who is most affected and why, providing policymakers with valuable insights on where to take action,” stated Dr. Soltani.

He continued, “We need stricter enforcement of speeding and drinking laws, along with age- and gender-specific safety measures. Improving road design for older pedestrians, like longer green light durations and better pedestrian detection systems in vehicles, is crucial. Moreover, campaigns aimed at young male drivers are needed.”

“Upgrading infrastructure in rural and remote areas is vital, including wider road shoulders, better lighting, and enhancing trauma care and services for vulnerable groups post-accident. This study emphasizes that the painful impact of road trauma is evident in hospitals across the country,” Dr. Soltani concluded.

“If we aim to lessen the burden on our healthcare system and families, immediate action is essential.”