1998 Northern Territory Annual Statistics
Summary from NT Road Safety Council Annual Statistics 1998
| Motor Vehicle Crashes | |
|---|---|
| Number of Fatal Crashes | 59 |
| Injury Crashes | 860 |
| Non-Injury Crashes | 1,417 |
| Total Crashes | 2,336 |
| Deaths and Injuries | |
| Number of Persons Killed | 69 |
| Persons Injured | 1,334 |
| Other NT Information | |
| Registered Motor Vehicles as at 30 June 1998 | 122,525 |
| Drivers Licenses issued as at 30 June 1998 | 128,785 |
| Estimated Resident Population as at 30 June 1998 | 189,991 |
| Total Estimated Visitors to the Northern Territory | 867,000 |
| Estimated Interstate Visitors | 495,000 |
| Estimated International Visitors | 372,000 |
The Northern Territory has approx. 15% of the land mass of Australia, with approx. 1% of the total population. There are two main population centres and several towns. The urban areas (Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs) have a combined population of 112,098 (87% of the total of the Northern Territory population). The remainder of the population is widely distributed, often in small communities and outstations. The urban areas had 716 (54%) of the injuries sustained from 1608 (68%) of the total crashes recorded (2336). Of the Fatal crashes recorded 40 (68%) were in rural and/or remote areas.
This means a large road network of varying standards, requiring varied driving skills, and long distances to get to service centres (e.g. Darwin and Alice Springs - the two major centres, are 1500kilometres apart by road).
The problems which affect the Northern Territory in road safety are, in the main similar to other remote parts of Australia. They are exacerbated by those factors peculiar to the Territory, namely, the resident population, large geographical area, extensive road network and varied road environments.
Aborigines are over represented in the crash figures. Approximately 27% of the population in the Northern Territory is Aboriginal, but a six year average shows that 31% of the road users killed and injured came from this group. A road safety program focusing on the Aboriginal community has been developed.
The rural aspect of the Northern Territory road crashes - with the long distances, low traffic levels, and population distribution - hinders enforcement, road safety education efforts and the ability to provide prompt effective medical assistance to injured persons. Considerable effort is being directed towards tourist road safety programs to create an awareness of the environment within the Territory.
The major road safety concerns in the Northern Territory remain the over representation of tourists and Aboriginal people, particularly pedestrians. The incidence of alcohol, fatigue, inappropriate speed remain major contributors to vehicle crashes with the non-wearing of seatbelts contributing to injury severity. During 2000, road safety will see the continuation of the existing strategies
The statistics in this report have been compiled primarily using information collected by the Northern Territory Police, on Form PF601 - NT Police Traffic Accident Report, both at crash scenes and when crashes are reported at Police stations. These reports are collated from the Department of Planning and Infrastructure Vehicle Accident Database.
A road crash is an unpremeditated event which results in property damage or the death of/or injury to, a person, and is attributable to the movement of a vehicle on a public road (including vehicles entering or leaving a public road).
Under Regulation 138 of the Northern Territory Traffic Regulations, any crash which results in death, injury or property damage must be reported to Police.
Other data sources used in the compilation of this report include the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Austroads, the Federal Office of Road Safety, NT Tourist Commission and the Northern Territory Registrar of Motor Vehicles.