Victim blaming has made cars the biggest killer of children in Australia

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Instead of ensuring Australia’s roads are safe, we’re taught the onus is on cyclists and pedestrians — even children — to avoid a deadly accident.

A cyclist in Brisbane (Image: AAP/Dan Peled)

Globally, road “accidents” kill more than 1 million people a year, and are the primary cause of death for people aged under 30. Australia is no exception: land transport accidents cause the highest number of deaths in Australian children.

After a single mass shooting, Australia acted quickly on gun control. Most Australians are rightly appalled by the US’s ongoing failure to do similar, with the nation instead resorting to endless “thoughts and prayers” platitudes, active shooter drills for children, and bulletproof vests for teachers.

But with transport deaths, our own grim acceptance and collective refusal to make systemic changes are very similar. Each large, multiple-fatality crash results in thoughts and prayers in Parliament, but no legislative response. Instead of making Australia’s roads safe, responsibility is placed on those in danger instead of those creating it.