Johnston described the rising death toll as a crisis, warning that without significant policy changes, fatalities may continue to rise.

In response to the alarming trends, federal, state, and territory governments have pledged to halve road fatalities and reduce serious injuries by 30% by 2030.

In light of these statistics, over 100 road safety researchers have signed an open letter advocating for speed limit reductions, citing evidence from Wales where a 32% decrease in road deaths followed a reduction in speed limits.

Scott Tilyard, chair of Tasmania's Road Safety Advisory Council, emphasized the profound impact of road trauma on families and communities, highlighting the need for urgent action.

Tilyard also mentioned that the council would consider advocating for speed limit reductions on specific roads in Tasmania, which is currently unlikely to meet its target of fewer than 200 serious casualties by 2026.

However, Tasmania's Transport Minister Eric Abetz has not shown support for lowering speed limits, stating that such decisions are made by the transport commissioner without political influence.

Johnston called for policy changes, including lowering speed limits to 30 km/h in built-up areas where vehicles frequently interact with pedestrians and cyclists.

Ingrid Johnston, CEO of the Australasian College of Road Safety, has raised concerns about Australia's declining road safety rankings, noting that while the country has seen an increase in road fatalities, other nations have successfully reduced their numbers.

Australia's road toll reached 1,258 deaths in 2023, reflecting a 6.6% increase from the previous year and marking the third consecutive annual rise.

Recent federal government data indicates that by August 2024, there have already been 863 road fatalities this year.

Each year, around 40,000 individuals suffer serious injuries in road crashes across Australia, underscoring the ongoing road safety crisis.