RACV urges Melburnians to have their say on the state of their roads

Melbourne road users, whether it's by bike, car or walking, are being urged to give their feedback on the state of our roads, as RACV launches the My Melbourne Road survey.

The survey is seeking participants to provide feedback by dropping a pin on an interactive map, and explaining how sections of a road or an intersection can be improved for safety of all users.

The interactive map within the survey illustrates hot spots where serious injuries and deaths have occurred on Melbourne roads between 2016 and 2019.

In 2022, 106 people died on Melbourne roads, displaying no improvement in the four-year average measured between 2018 and 2021, in which an average of 105 deaths per annum were recorded. Melbourne also recorded 33 pedestrian, and eight cyclist deaths in 2022, up on the previous four-years' average of 25, and six, respectively.

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The first 44 days of 2023 saw 17 fatalities on Melbourne roads, with RACV citing La Nina weather phases bringing unseasonable increases in rainfall, severe weather and subsequent potholes, flash flooding and other safety hazards.

Jackie Pedersen, RACV General Manager Automotive Services, invites Melbourne motorists, pedestrians and cyclists to highlight their concerns in road and driving safety, saying: "RACV really wants to know what Melburnians think about the roads, intersections and routes that make up their daily commutes."

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"For example, is the speed limit too high? Are certain lanes too narrow? Is there inadequate signage that oculd lead to collisions? Have potholes or deteriorating road surfaces made a certain road dangerous to travel on?

"When talking about Melbourne roads, it's not just drivers we're hoping to hear from. We want to be a voice for everyone including pedestrians, bike riders and public transport users. This is your chance to speak up and be heard."

Pedersen states that RACV will share the information received from survey participants with all levels of government in the hopes of spurring action.

"We want to gather as much data as we can so that we can highlight and encourage meaningful changes that can deliver safety improvements and help saves lives", said Pedersen.

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This year's My Melbourne Road survey follows RACV's 2021 My Country Road survey, that saw more than 4000 Victorians provide feedback on the state of Victoria's regional and rural roads. In the survey, 31 roads were underscored as having serious safety issues and, of those, over half have seen infrastructure upgrades commence or committed to by government.

Melbourne road users can take the My Melbourne Road survey online here.