THERE were just over 240 vehicle crashes in the Blayney local government area from the start of 2014 to the end of 2018 and they cost almost $63 million, according to a report from the NRMA.
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The cost is calculated by taking into account everything from the emergency response to the crash to the loss of economic productivity to the hospital care required and rehabilitation, if needed.
The NRMA has provided crash statistics in a report based on its Rate Your Road survey, which began in 2019, asking members of the community to rate the condition and safety of their roads as a means of putting pressure on state and federal governments to increase their investment.
The report shows the Blayney local government area had four fatal crashes, 101 injury crashes, 36 non-injury crashes and 242 total crashes in the five years from the beginning of 2014 to the end of 2018.
As a means of comparison, Lithgow had six fatal crashes in its local government area and 949 total crashes and Orange had eight fatal crashes and 899 total crashes.
Blayney, according to the report, has a total road length (sealed and unsealed) of 849 kilometres, one of the smallest in the survey area which extends from Cabonne shire down to the Murray River.
The NRMA report said the total cost of the fatal crashes and crashes causing injuries in the Blayney area during the five-year period was $62,651,766.
Again, in comparison, it was $151,814,095 in the Lithgow area and $142,781,967 for Orange.
Those who took part in the survey gave the Mid-Western Highway an overall condition score of 42.6 out of 100, a congestion score of 63.3 and a safety score of 40.9.
In comparison the Great Western Highway had an overall condition score of 57.4 out of 100, a congestion score of 50.8 and a safety score of 53.8.
The Mitchell Highway fared worse, earning an overall condition score of 54.3, a congestion score of 48.1 and a safety score of 47.
The NRMA said that, since it had launched its Rate Your Road campaign, the organisation had successfully advocated for almost $2 billion in new road funding from the NSW and Australian governments, including funding during COVID-19 to keep projects moving and support employment.
The NRMA said the NSW Government had also committed to transfer up to 15,000 kilometres of council-managed regional roads to the NSW Government to lessen the financial burden on those councils.