One in four regional NSW drivers admit to taking increased road risks since the implementation of Covid-19 lockdowns, according to research conducted by the Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF).
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
And speeding is the law they're most likely to break.
Two thirds of the surveyed drivers admitted to being heavy footed in normal conditions, but 15 per cent more say they have sped during COVID-19 lockdown conditions.
The research comes ahead of this year's Fatality Free Friday initiative on Friday, May 29.
But Hume Police District Commander, Superintendent Chris Schilt, said that emptier roads have actually led to a decrease in the number of serious accidents.
READ ALSO:
"We have seen a noticeable decrease in the number of injury collisions, corresponding with less people on the roads," said Supt Schilt.
"But most importantly, police have continued to enforce road rules across NSW.
"Road safety remains paramount and Fatality Free Friday is a great opportunity to remind drivers that they cannot become complacent; especially during these times leading up to the potential ease of restrictions, road safety is everyone's responsibility."
Supt Schilt said that police have been out in numbers over the past couple of months continuing to focus on traffic enforcement, as evidenced by Operation Towards Zero in March and Operation Chrome at the start of May, targeting rural road trauma.
"Results show that, even though there has been a slight decrease in speeding and other offences, there are still drivers out there engaging in risky behaviour.
"Our goal is to get the message through to these drivers, via both enforcement and community engagement, so that everyone makes it home safely."
The ARSF said that while it is expected that the road toll would reflect the minimal vehicles on the road, the national year-to-date road toll has only declined by 12.5 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Did you know the Goulburn Post is now offering breaking news alerts and a weekly email newsletter? Keep up-to-date with all the local news: sign up below.