The target under the National Road Safety Strategy 2001- 2010 is to achieve the National Target of no more than 5.6 road fatalities per 100 000 population by 2010. South Australia has adopted the National Target.

This will mean that the number of road crash fatalities in South Australia will have to be reduced to no more than 86 in 2010.

From 1974 to 2003

• the number of deaths on South Australian roads declined annually from a peak of 382 in 1974 to 156 in 2003
• the number of vehicles and drivers on the road approximately doubled
• serious injuries fell from 4055 in 1969 to 1538 in 2002.

The decline has been largely due to the introduction of

• compulsory seat belt wearing
• better roads
• improved vehicle safety
• Police enforcement campaigns against drink driving and speeding including the introduction of random breath testing.

Although fatalities and serious injuries are never acceptable, achieving the National Target will be a major step towards further decreases in the future.