Latest TAC claims data reveals injury hotspots in regional Victoria

17 Dec 2015

The Transport Accident Commission has released its latest injury data, which shows there are still far too many Victorians being injured on country roads.

The Annual Claims Statistics report for 2014-15 is a snapshot of people injured in that financial year in comparison to the previous five years, including types of injury and where people live.

The report reveals that:

• In 2013/14, the most number of injury claims were from people in the Barwon-Western District region (1,223), Gippsland (1,010) and Loddon-Mallee (916)
• Between 2008/09 and 2013/14, injuries increased across all country regions, with the most significant increase in Barwon-Western District (987 to 1,223) and Gippsland (933 to 1,010).

The TAC supports people for a range of injuries, from minor and orthopaedic injuries to catastrophic spinal and acquired brain injuries, or provides support for the families of those who have lost their lives. 

The data released today shows that the most common injury was musculoskeletal (11,415), followed by limb fractures (1,973) and internal injuries (1,261). Most people were not admitted to hospital (11,126).

Overall there were 92 more claims compared to the previous financial year, with the increase mainly in orthopaedic and musculoskeletal injuries.

TAC CEO Joe Calafiore said the figures were a stark reminder of why the TAC has adopted the Towards Zero vision of no deaths or serious injuries on our roads.

"Each of these claim numbers has a story behind it, of a person who has been injured in road trauma, or the family of a person who has lost a loved one," Mr Calafiore said.

"Every night spent in hospital represents a deeper story, of the rehabilitation journey that person may undergo and the long term impact of their injury on them and their family.

"We all have a part to play in Victoria's Towards Zero vision, as we work together to achieve a drastic reduction in deaths and serious injuries on our roads," Mr Calafiore said.

View the full Annual Claims Statistics report PDF, 0.43MB.

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