One of the state’s most popular regional roads for drivers heading on family holidays and weekends away, Victor Harbor Rd is sadly also the location of many road crash-related injuries and deaths.

According to a review of 10 years of State Government data, Victor Harbor Rd has seen an average 37% increase in traffic since 2011.

It’s also tragically seen 15 people lose their lives and more than 310 people injured, many seriously, over the past decade.

In November last year, 12,000 RAA members living in the Fleurieu Peninsula were sent an online survey, as part of our regional assessment program, focussing on the regional road network. The survey was also promoted on social media, with responses welcomed from the wider community.

The 1080 responses received raised a broad range of road safety issues, with Victor Harbor Rd a common area of concern and the most raised road by the local community.

While originally part of RAA’s broader Fleurieu Peninsula regional road assessment, the safety and infrastructure team decided to release a separate report for Victor Harbor Rd following alarming survey results in late 2020.

RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure, Charles Mountain, says the report identifies where investment is required to reduce the likelihood and severity of crashes on this important road corridor.

“Whether travelled by holiday-makers, freight, or everyday commuters, Victor Harbor Rd is a widely used section of the South Australian road network, and one we believe requires further improvements for greater safety for all road users,” he said.

“RAA welcomes the recent and planned government improvements to Victor Harbor Rd , however our investigation has identified further maintenance and safety upgrades are needed, particularly for the section south of Mt Compass.”

RAA’s recommendations cover a broad range of improvements from the addition of mid-road wire rope barriers, to roundabouts and general widening and shoulder upgrades.

“One of our main recommendations is to ensure necessary safety upgrades are made along the length of the road, so the entire corridor achieves a minimum 3-star AusRAP rating.”

The Australian Road Assessment Program, or AusRAP (run by the AAA), assigns star ratings to various sections of road throughout the country as a universal record of its safety. The ratings range from 1 (the least safe) to 5 (most safe).

Factors such as speed, roadside hazards, sightlines and the shape of the road influence the star rating.

While many sections of Victor Harbor Rd north of Mt Compass achieve 3, 4 and even 5-star ratings, the sections south are typically only 1 and 2 star.

“Improving the star ratings is important, as a single star rating increase can reduce the percentage of both fatal and serious crashes by as much as 40%,” Mr Mountain continued.

Other high priority recommendations include a roundabout installation at the Goolwa Rd intersection and widening the road south of Mt Compass, to achieve a 2m shoulder seal, 3.5m lanes, a 2m-wide centre line and a wire rope barrier through the centre.

RAA has advised the above recommendations should be committed to within 12 months, due to their immediate impact on road safety, industry and tourism.

There are also a range of further recommendations and information included in the report, which is available online, if you’d like to read more.

The full Fleurieu Peninsula regional road assessment report will be finalised later this year.