The TAC says new wire barriers being installed along the Hume Freeway and other highway improvements will help to reverse the trend of people dying in crashes by running off the road.
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Statistics from 2017 showed 25 people killed in North East crashes occurred as a result of vehicles veering out of their lanes – 18 lives were lost in single-vehicle crashes on the roadside, and seven from a head-on collisions.
These types of crashes were the most common in all regional areas, which TAC chief executive Joe Calafiore said highlighted the importance of building a road system that is more forgiving when people make mistakes.
“We know most people are doing the right thing and the majority of journeys on roads in Hume are safe ones, however every death on our roads is an unacceptable and preventable tragedy,” he said.
Moira and Shepparton had the highest number of fatalities in 2017, with eight each. There were four deaths in Wangaratta and one in Wodonga for the year.
The issue was being addressed with upgrades to high-risk roads including the Hume Freeway from Melbourne to Wodonga and Beechworth-Wodonga Road from Beechworth to Yackandandah Road.