Car crash Chatswood
The Willoughby Crash Analysis Report is based on data covering the 4-year period 2008 to 2012. The aim of the report is to use the data contained within it to develop an Action Plan for 2013-17 (We are already well into 2014 – Ed.)
The report summary identified three aspects of crashes in Willoughby:
- there were 2 fatal crashes in 2012 c.f nil in 2010 and 2011
- injury and tw-away crashes reduced c.f 2011
- in 2012,15.5% of casualties were pedestrian c.f Sydney Metro’s 10.0%
The detailed report contains some interesting statistics.
- 0nly 18% of Willoughby’s workers live in Willoughby
- Willoughby drivers accounted for the largest number of crashes (15%) with Warringah (8%) Ryde (6%)
The population profile contains an interesting statistic. That is that the percentage of Chinese-born residents is a mere 7.0%.
Compared to Greater Sydney, Willoughby has more households with nil or 1 motor vehicles but less households with 2 or 3+ vehicles.
The number of casualties has been progressively declining since peaking around 2000. Though not stated, it is assumed that one cause of the reductions may be as a result of targeted road safety plans over the past years.
There is not a significant difference between casualty type (driver, passenger, motorcycle, cycle, pedestrian) between Willoughby, Sydney and NSW.
Speed related crashes in Willoughby are slightly less than for Sydney and well below the State average (influenced by country roads).
Just over 25% of speed related crashes were on local streets the rest being on Regional or State roads which are under the control of the RMS.
The local streets with the worst crash history was the intersection of Herbert/Ella (11) other locations with 2 or 3 crashes where Barcoo/Barambah; Dalleys/Northcote; Deepwater/Castlecove ;Hampden/McMillan; Johnston/Victor and Warrane/McClelland.
There is a wealth of other information in the 2014 Crash Analysis Report
Chatswood West Ward History 
Hi Terry,
These reports infuriate me every year!
In 28 pages, we get only three significant pages where there are things that require action to reduce crashes. The rest of the report is a selection of population demographics, followed by an attempt to identify accident types by demographic characteristic of “the nut behind the wheel”, but only giving raw accident numbers, and not dividing by the demographic frequency of reach characteristic group.
The overwhelming accident characteristic is road ownership (state, regional or local),NOT some demographic of road user.State roads had 888 crashes, regional roads 199 crashes, and local (Council) roads only 252 accidents, in the period analysed. This contrast between RMS roads and Council roads was starkly apparent in the traffic & accident study of all West Ward streets carried out a couple of years ago.
There were two common types of vehicle accident: nose to tail (RUM code 30: due to following too closely the car in front), and through intersection (RUM code 21). The close following is not common on lightly used Council local streets, but it is prevalent on State streets, because the State has been negligent in failing to provide enough through roads proportionate to increases in population numbers and density, resulting in roads often operating at above safe traffic density.The through intersection crashes ared due to State failure to provide arterial roads (“A” international category ). Arterial roads have no side streets or street lights, with major cross road intersections at infrequent spacings, with warning advisory signs, traffic lights, and strong night illumination. Some areas in Lane Cove and Artarmon have side street entries to State roads closed,as a Draconian “fix” for this problem. It is noticed that there are many intersections with State roads, such as Fullers Road, without yellow diamond intersection warning signs for intersections or driveway entries.These State roads carry longer distance travellers unfamiliar with the locality and subject to fatigue. The RMS should install more intersection warnings.
Speed is mentioned on page 22 as a contributing factor. The mysterious inability of RTA/RMS to install any speed cameras in recent years should be referred to the Ombudsman, to check on administrative failures to correctly do the sums to establish priority of camera sites, and to explore contractual poor performance. There appears to be scope for a referral of the activities of the Road Safety authority that prioritises and funds and programs of road safety to the ICAC. Local speed problems at intersections could be dealt with the same way as outside schools, with a local speed reduction and prominent warning signs. Council Traffic Committee could consider doing this at intersections it controls, where there is a poor crash history.
We should seek to have the State preserve or recover disused alignments for true arterial roads, such as the Blue Gum Arterial, and the F3 Freeway route from Lucinda Avenue Wahroonga to Fig Tree Bridge. THe bridge system from Fig Tree Bridge to Drummoyne was the first section of the F3 Freeway built. It is noted that the State Long Term Transport Plan envisages a southward arterial alignment from Gladesville Bridge to Westconnex.
Regards
Jim