Freeman, Isabella A. (2023) Examining the influence COVID-19 had on Australian road fatalities and serious injuries during 2020. [USQ Project]
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Abstract
In response to the emerging positive COVID-19 cases recorded in March 2020, the Australian Government, Australian states and territories quickly implemented strict lockdown orders, significantly changing the movement of people and goods. It would be expected that a reduction in traffic volumes and vehicle kilometres travelled would equate to a reduction in road fatalities and serious injuries. Unfortunately, Australia still experienced road fatality and serious injury rates similar to previous years. This undergraduate research dissertation aims to examine the influence COVID-19 had on Australian road fatalities and serious injuries in 2020. The research methodology approach entails a two-step approach. The first step of the methodology approach is the collection of quantitative data relating to Australian road fatalities and serious injuries from 2015 to 2020. The second step of the methodology approach is the detailed analysis of the quantitative data. For this undergraduate research dissertation, significant variations must represent road fatalities or serious injuries rate changes of at least 15% during 2020 compared to 2019 and changes of at least 15% from the 2015-2018 to the 2015-2019 average.
The undergraduate research dissertation found that COVID-19 significantly influenced road fatalities and serious injuries nationwide. While not all states and territories had significant variations in annual road fatality and serious injury rates, each characteristic still had significant variations.
• Annual road fatality rates were significantly increased in Queensland (+27%) and Tasmania (+31%).
• Annual road fatality rates were significantly decreased in New South Wales (-20%), Victoria (-21%) and South Australia (-18%).
• Annual serious injury rates were significantly increased in Tasmania (+16%).
• Annual serious injury rates were significantly decreased in Victoria (-23%).
To further understand how the changes in the movement of people and goods on Australian roads can impact road user behaviour and safety, several avenues still exist to investigate COVID-19 further. They include a qualitative research component, investigating minor and property crashes, further investigation into each state and territory road safety during 2020 and further analysis into the human and economic implications that COVID-19 had on road fatalities and serious injuries during 2020.
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| Item Type: | USQ Project |
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| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Current – Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Engineering (1 Jan 2022 -) |
| Supervisors: | Seligmann, Hannah |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Sep 2025 04:50 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Sep 2025 04:50 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | COVID-19; Australia; road fatalities |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52944 |
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