The toll of Northern Territory’s pedestrian deaths

The NT is no stranger to pedestrian deaths. Busy roads like this one in the heart of Darwin, are a place of anguish for many. I looked up to my mum a lot. She was my role model. Helen’s secretary was a young woman when her mother, a well respected health worker, was fatally struck on Baggott Road. The family lived at a nearby Aboriginal community that straddles the Six Lane Rd. She’s lost countless loved ones along this stretch. We’d hear people getting hit and as a child, you know, you see all these lights and wondering what’s going on and they’re not realising until this sorrow business that one of our family members got hit. Helen’s fed up with seeing people die on Baggott Road and says it’s a death trap. This 6th lane is very dangerous. As you can see, there’s no traffic lights, there’s no pedestrian, no safety device at all. Aboriginal people make up the bulk of pedestrian deaths in the NT. In a jurisdiction that has the highest rates of alcohol consumption per capita and skyrocketing rates of homelessness, Keeping people safe has never been harder, and you don’t have to drive around the NT for long to see at at risk pedestrians walking dangerously within traffic. And there’s a whole host of reasons why that might be the case. In a disturbing trend, hit and runs now make up 1/4 of all pedestrian deaths in the NT. Somewhere along here is where my Wawa got hit. NT politician Ying Ya Gulia is still processing the loss of his close relative, who was killed on the Stuart Highway in the city’s outskirts last year. The first driver that struck him fled before eventually calling police, but by then it was too late. A second car killed him. The northern Tierra government should be ashamed of the the high number of indigenous people that are being killed, Mr. Ghoulia says. Darwin is witnessing a surge of remote visitors leaving community. He worries racism could explain why some drivers don’t stop. It’s a suggestion NT police hasn’t been able to rule out Why do I think people are are taking off. I think it’s self self-interest and and self preservation. Is there any racism for post crash conduct Then potentially there might be. The NT is the road toll capital of Australia, with the death rate here triple the national average. Since 20/19/40, pedestrians have died on Territory roads and more than 500 have been hospitalised for their injuries. In two years alone, paramedics responded to nearly 300 triple zero calls involving pedestrians and it’s taking a toll on 1st responders. I’ve spent plenty of times, you know, both with patients and after cases. You know, quiet reflection and shedding tears around what, you know what’s happened. Helen’s doing her bit to educate the next generation about Rd. safety, but says it will do little without more support from the top. She wants the Government to tackle the Territory’s shocking record of pedestrian deaths head on, a call for action to make territory roads safe for all.