THERE were almost 1300 vehicle crashes in the Bathurst local government area from the start of 2014 to the end of 2018 and they cost almost $300 million, according to a report from the NRMA.
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The cost is calculated by taking into account everything from the emergency response to the crash to the loss of economic productivity to the hospital care required and rehabilitation, if needed.
The NRMA has provided crash statistics in a report based on its Rate Your Road survey, which began in 2019, asking members of the community to rate the condition and safety of their roads as a means of putting pressure on state and federal governments to increase their investment.
The report shows the Bathurst local government area had 20 fatal crashes, 503 injury crashes, 258 non-injury crashes and 1284 total crashes in the five years from the beginning of 2014 to the end of 2018.
IN OTHER NEWS AROUND BATHURST:
As a means of comparison, Lithgow had six fatal crashes in its local government area and 949 total crashes and Orange had eight fatal crashes and 899 total crashes, though its local government area is much smaller than Bathurst.
Bathurst, according to the report, has a total road length (sealed and unsealed) that is almost three times larger than Orange.
The NRMA report said the total cost of the fatal crashes and crashes causing injuries in the Bathurst area during the five-year period was $296,000,737.
Again, in comparison, it was $151,814,095 in the Lithgow area and $142,781,967 for Orange.
Those who took part in the survey gave the Great Western Highway an overall condition score of 57.4 out of 100, a congestion score of 50.8 and a safety score of 53.8.
The Mitchell Highway fared worse, earning an overall condition score of 54.3, a congestion score of 48.1 and a safety score of 47.
The Great Western Highway received a better safety score than the Newell Highway, Olympic Highway and Orange's Northern Distributor Road, but not as good a safety score as the Hume Highway.
The NRMA said that, since it had launched its Rate Your Road campaign, the organisation had successfully advocated for almost $2 billion in new road funding from the NSW and Australian governments, including funding during COVID-19 to keep projects moving and support employment.
The NRMA said the NSW Government had also committed to transfer up to 15,000 kilometres of council-managed regional roads to the NSW Government to lessen the financial burden on those councils.
