The bad shape of some of the state's regional roads has prompted the Opposition to launch a new campaign called 'Report your Road'.
The campaign encourages South Australians to take photos when they come across an unsatisfactory regional road and submit it to 'Report Your Road' via the website or a dedicated text line (0416 823 055).
Opposition Regional Roads spokesperson Adrian Pederick said he was deeply disappointed when the state government chose not to reappoint a Regional Roads Minister following Member for Stuart Geoff Brock's resignation from the portfolio.
He feared the regional road network would slip even further down Labor's priority list now that there was no longer a dedicated Minister.
"Safe, well-maintained roads shouldn't be viewed as a luxury but a necessity, and the state of disrepair I've witnessed in our regions would never be tolerated in the city," Mr Pederick said.
"Even before Geoff Brock's resignation, Labor showed how little they care about the condition of our regional roads with $400 million of cuts to critical regional infrastructure projects like the Truro Freight route, and lengthy delays to the Strzelecki Track upgrades.
"Get on board and 'Report Your Road' and let's make sure our regional roads get the attention they deserve."
This week, Opposition leader David Speirs also took the new campaign on the road, in his travels down to Mount Gambier.
"We are constantly hearing complaints about the state of our regional roads, and we want to make sure the voices of those South Australians concerned about this issue are heard loud and clear," he said.
"Labor has a terrible track record when it comes to advocating for the needs of regional South Australians and Peter Malinauskas has done it again by kicking the Regional Roads portfolio to the kerb.
"I encourage everyone who travels around our great state who notices a road in poor condition to submit it to 'Report Your Road', and together we'll send a message to Peter Malinauskas and Labor that they can't abandon our regions any longer."
The campaign comes as leading road safety experts met for a roundtable discussion in Adelaide today 'to analyse how South Australia can reach the targets set out in the SA Road Safety Strategy'.
The state's 10-year Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan targets a 50pc reduction in lives lost and 30pc reduction in serious injuries by 2031.
In the 12 months to the end of the March quarter, 99 people lost their lives and 807 serious injuries were suffered on SA roads (SA Police data) - 18pc more than the 84 lives lost and 23pc more than the 655 serious injuries that would see the state on track to meet its targets.
The roundtable included Members of Parliament, experts from organisations including SA Police, Metropolitan and Country Fire Service, the Centre for Automotive Safety Research, other road user advocacy groups and the RAA.
Since the early 2010s, SA fatal crash numbers have not decreased anywhere near as much as they did during the period before 2010, and this stagnancy in the trend is concerning.
- CHARLES MOUNTAIN
The discussion focused on three key areas impeding SA's progress towards a more sustained reduction in road trauma:
- Vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists);
- Regional roads; and
- Dangerous driver behaviour.
RAA Safety and Infrastructure senior manager Charles Mountain said finding ways to positively impact one or all of these areas would help save South Australian lives and reduce serious injuries.
"Since the early 2010s, SA fatal crash numbers have not decreased anywhere near as much as they did during the period before 2010, and this stagnancy in the trend is concerning," he said.
"Today is about bringing everyone together to discuss how we can improve in three areas we believe are key to reducing the current level of road trauma. This is not a talkfest - we want real outcomes to inform actions."
Two thirds of fatal crashes in SA occur on regional roads - despite only 25pc of the population living in regional areas.
Police and Emergency Services Minister Dan Cregan said the state government was "taking action to advance its vital road safety targets set out, including investing more than a quarter of a billion dollars over five years to make SA roads safer, with a strong regional focus".
The meeting also comes as National Road Safety Week kicks off (May 5-12), which aims to raise vital awareness and initiates important conversations around road safety.
