NATIONAL ABORIGINAL ROAD SAFETY VIDEO AND RESOURCE PACK “Corrugations to Highways” Carter, J. Foreman, T. Hart, J. Parsons, J. Sommsich, E. The scope of the problem From reviewing the documented road crash statistics involving Aboriginal people, it can be clearly seen that there is a demonstrated need for road safety authorities to develop specific interventions to enhance the current strategies being implemented throughout Australia. In States with a high Aboriginal population the following statistical evidence is provided as part of the basis for the development of the National Aboriginal Road Safety Video and Resource Pack. Western Australia The death rate of Aboriginal people from road crashes is 35 per 100,000 population compared with only 14 per 100,000 population for non-Aboriginal people. The reported rate of hospitalisation for Aboriginal people (1988 to 1996) is nearly three times that for non- Aboriginal people. The actual hospitalisation rate for Aboriginal is almost certainly even higher, as some Aboriginal people admitted to hospital may have been recorded as being non-Aboriginal. Aboriginal people also have higher rates of hospitalisation from road crashes across all age groups compared with non-Aboriginal people. For those aged 45 to 64 the rate is more than four times that for non-Aboriginal people and for those aged up to fourteen years the rate is nearly three times as high.* *Statistics quoted are from the research document: Cercarelli, L.Rina. 1999 Road Crash Hospitalisations and Deaths in Western Australia involving Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, 1988 to 1996, Road Accident Research Unit, Department of Public Health, University of Western Australia. Northern Territory In the Northern Territory Aboriginal people represent 27% of the population, however Aboriginal people account for over 45% of the Territory’s fatalities. South Australia In South Australia Aboriginal people represent 1.4% of the States population. In the period 1991- 1999, 68 fatal crashes involving Aboriginal people were recorded resulting in Aboriginal people representing 4% of the States fatalities. The reported rate of injury crashes for Aboriginal people (1991-1997) was 452 or 3% of the State’s crashes. This is the known scope of the problem, however due to reporting processes, especially for hospitalisations – the extent of the issue could be even greater than recorded. Consultation with Aboriginal communities Anecdotal evidence provided by Aboriginal Communities and road safety and other injury prevention agencies working with Aboriginal communities in all States suggest that the issue of road trauma and Aboriginal people is even greater than the statistical evidence presents. Advice and some preliminary evidence suggest that the issue of road safety is becoming more and more important to Aboriginal communities. This can be supported by the number of community based and Police operated road safety and motor driver licencing programs which are being requested by communities and that are experiencing both a high rate of participation and achievement of objectives. Background to the development of the resource National meetings to discuss Aboriginal Road Safety issues were held in Alice Springs (1997) and Darwin (1999) and were attended by representatives from Australian State Road Safety Agencies as well as Community based Project Managers and personnel. At each of these meetings, requests and recommendations for the development of a multi-media resource that could assist Aboriginal Police Liaison Officers, Aboriginal Community Police Liaison Officers, Community Health Workers, State, Regional and Local Agencies with road safety charters to promote, educate and enforce