WIRE rope safety barriers have been struck by vehicles more than 150 times on the Hume Freeway this year.
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Statistics released to The Border Mail by VicRoads show the wire ropes between Wallan and Wodonga were hit 165 times.
The section of road between Barnawartha and Wodonga has been struck 29 times in 2018.
In some incidents, the barriers have been praised for preventing potentially fatal crashes.
Other incidents have likely stopped vehicles from crashing into trees.
The statistics were released as wire rope is installed on more sections of the freeway.
Works are currently being undertaken in the Wangaratta and Benalla regions.
According to VicRoads, two-thirds of the project has been completed, with 900 kilometres of the road to be covered by mid-2019.
Regional Roads Victoria director Bryan Sherritt said each collision represented the prevention of a possible fatal crash.
“We’re installing flexible safety barriers on the Hume Freeway because they’re proven to save lives.”
“Our crews are about two-thirds of the way through these works, and by the middle of next year there will be safety barriers all the way from the M80 Ring Road through to Wodonga.”
“Barriers on the Hume between Wallan and Wodonga have already been hit around 165 times this year – which represents 165 potentially serious and even fatal crashes avoided.”
The figures show the section between Seymour and Barnawartha has been hit 85 times.
The project is being undertaken as part of a safety package costing $89 million.
A report released in July noted the barriers were one of the key issues people had with country roads.
A Victorian Parliamentary enquiry into country roads has been put on hold until after the election.
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