Road toll: Rural Road Safety Month a reminder for all motorists

Alcohol is a factor in 21 per cent of fatal crashes in country areas, data from Transport for NSW shows.

And, drink driving is just one of the contributing factors to the death of 192 people on NSW so far this year.

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The loss of life has left NSW Police Acting Inspector Kelly Wixx joining the call to raise awareness during Rural Road Safety Month.

"There's been an increase in drinking habits," she said of motorists on the roads since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

"There seems to be a lot of people drinking at home and at a friend's place and then they're getting behind the wheel.

"We're certainly seeing an increase in the level of alcohol present in people being pulled over for drink driving.

"Our high range PCA offences have significantly increased."

Speed is a factor in around 41 per cent of fatalities, fatigue 25 per cent and presence of drug driving 23 per cent.

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Australian Road Safety Foundation research reveals that 78 per cent of drivers admit to risky behaviour when behind the wheel, while one-in-five confess to being more likely to break a road rule in rural areas.

Acting Inspector Wixx said higher speed limits and less traffic in country areas can lead to more serious outcomes in a crash.

"If it is going to go wrong, then the consequences of it going wrong are more serious," she said.

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Transport for NSW deputy secretary for safety, environment and regulation Tara McCarthy said country people make up only a third of NSW's population, but last year deaths on country roads made up nearly more than two thirds of the road toll.

"Country roads have a greater proportion of higher speed limits compared to metropolitan roads," she said.

"These higher speeds, combined with the most common crash types on country roads, which is running off the road into an object or head on into an oncoming vehicle, result in a higher likelihood of fatal injuries."