ROAD TRAFFIC INCIDENTS
Traffic infringement notices
In 2005-06, the Australian Federal Police issued a total of 20,961 notices to drivers in the ACT. These comprised 16,988 Traffic infringement notices, 3,192 Official cautions and 781 Parking infringement notices. Compared with 2004-05, this represented an increase of 3% in Traffic infringement notices and declines of 9% in Official cautions and 17% in Parking infringement notices.
14.13 Traffic infringement notices, ACT |
|  |
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | Change from 2004-05 to 2005-06 | |
| no. | no. | no. | % change | |
| |
| Traffic infringement notices | 19 730 | 16 469 | 16 988 | 3.2 | |
| Official cautions | 3 861 | 3 494 | 3 192 | -8.6 | |
| Parking infringement notices | 1 209 | 936 | 781 | -16.6 | |
| |
| Australian Federal Police, ACT Policing, Annual Report, 2005-06; ACT Policing, data available on request. |
Speed and red light cameras
In 2005-06, the ACT had five mobile speed cameras and nine fixed red light/speed cameras in operation. A total of 42,752 infringement notices were issued from these cameras in 2005-06, a decrease of 8% from the number issued in 2004-05 (46,657).
Of the 42,752 infringement notices issued in 2005-06, 8,933 were from mobile speed cameras and 33,819 from fixed cameras. These represent decreases of 28% and 1% respectively from 2004-05, when 12,471 mobile camera and 34,186 fixed camera infringement notices were issued.
Of the 33,819 infringements issued from fixed cameras in 2005-06, 97% (32,640) were for speeding infringements. The remaining 1,179 infringements were issued for red light, red arrow, or combined red light and speeding infringements, with red light infringements the most frequent (1,091 infringements, or 93%).
Random breath tests
ACT Policing use both random breath testing and targeted breath testing, whereby police target specific locations and times of day. The number of random breath tests conducted in the ACT increased by 65% between 2004-05 and 2005-06 (from 46,898 to 77,594). Of the tests conducted in 2005-06, 1,213 (2%) resulted in positive readings. This represented an 11% increase in the number of positive readings compared with 2004-05 (1,093).
14.14 Random breath tests, ACT |
| |
| | | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | |
| |
| Tests conducted | no. | 48 332 | 46 898 | 77 594 | |
| Positive tests | | | | | |
| Number | no. | 1 234 | 1 093 | 1 213 | |
| Proportion of all tests conducted | % | 2.6 | 2.3 | 1.6 | |
| |
| Australian Federal Police, ACT Policing, Annual Report 2005-06. |
Traffic accidents
In the ACT during 2005-06, there were 10,944 motor vehicle Collisions reported to the police, a 2% reduction from 2004-05. The number of Collisions with injury fell by 9%, from 1,016 in 2004-05 to 926 in 2005-06. There were 19 Collisions with fatality in the ACT in 2005-06, compared with 16 Collisions with fatality in 2004-05.
14.15 Traffic accidents, ACT |
| |
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | Change from 2004-05 to 2005-06 | |
| no. | no. | no. | % change | |
| |
| Collisions | 11 530 | 11 209 | 10 944 | -2.4 | |
| Collisions with injury | 657 | 1 016 | 926 | -8.9 | |
| Collisions with fatality | 9 | 16 | 19 | 18.8 | |
| |
| Australian Federal Police, ACT Policing, Annual Report, 2004-05 and 2005-06. |
Types of collisions
According to the 2005 Road Traffic Crashes in the ACT report compiled by TAMS, there were 7,003 on-road motor vehicle crashes in the ACT during 2005, a 4% decrease from the number reported in 2004 (7,275 crashes). The most frequent accident type in 2005 was 'rear end collision', accounting for 48% (3,348) of all crashes. The second most frequent accident type was 'right angle collision', accounting for 15% (1,018) of all crashes.
While the number of on-road motor vehicle crashes in the ACT fell in 2005, the number of casualty crashes (those crashes involving injury or fatality) increased by 14%. There were 443 casualty crashes (418 injury crashes and 25 fatal crashes) in the ACT in 2005, 6% of all on-road crashes. In comparison, 5% of all on-road crashes in the ACT in 2004 were casualty crashes (390 crashes out of a total of 7,275).
In 2005, the majority of ACT casualty crashes (268) occurred at intersections, with 125 occurring at 'T' intersections and 103 at 'cross intersections'. Of the 418 injury crashes, 'right angle collisions' made up the highest proportion (27% or 112 injury crashes). Of the 25 fatal crashes, 'struck object' made up the highest proportion (36% or 9 fatal crashes).
More motor vehicle crashes occurred on week days than on weekends. The highest total number of ACT crashes in 2005 occurred on a Thursday (1,249 crashes, or 18%) or Friday (1,186 crashes, or 17%). The lowest total number of crashes occurred on a Sunday (601 crashes, or 9%).
