sa motor
Augusta Highway named SA’s most dangerous for fatalities
The Augusta Highway, between Port Wakefield and Port Augusta, recorded the most lives lost between 2020 and 2024, according to data analysed by RAA. Here are the five worst roads in South Australia for lives lost in the past five years.
1. Augusta Highway
Thirteen people lost their lives in road crashes on the Augusta Highway, which stretches 208km from Port Wakefield to Port Augusta. This included a double fatality crash in 2021 north of Port Germein and a triple fatality near Lochiel in 2022. In 2022 alone, seven people lost their lives on this stretch of road.
2. Riddoch Highway
Riddoch Highway, which runs 262km from Keith to Port MacDonnell, recorded 12 lives lost with six occurring last year, including a double fatality near Penola and two double fatalities near Nangwarry.
3. Stuart Highway
Twelve people lost their lives on the 966km-long Stuart Highway between Port Augusta and the Northern Territory border, including double fatalities near Pimba in 2021 and another north of Coober Pedy in 2023.
4. Eyre Highway
The 947km-long Eyre Highway from Port Augusta to the Western Australia border also recorded 12 lives lost. There were four lives lost in both 2023 and 2024, including a triple fatality near Yalata in 2024.
5. Main North Road
It’s only 37km from Adelaide to Gawler via Main North Road, but 12 lives were lost on this stretch of road, with a double fatality at Hillbank in 2020 and five lives lost in 2023.
Other notable SA roads
Also high on the list are Main South Road from Darlington to Cape Jervis, and Sturt Highway between Gawler and the Victorian border, with both recording 11 lives lost.
Port Wakefield Highway from Waterloo Corner to Port Wakefield, and Princes Highway from Tailem Bend to the Victorian border registered eight lives lost each between 2020 and 2024.
Is LPG becoming harder to find?
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, LPG/autogas was a popular cost-saving fuel, but it’s fast disappearing from service stations. Car Advice consultant John Reissenweber explains what to consider if you’re still driving an LPG-powered vehicle.
The improved fuel-efficiency of modern vehicles together with the rise in popularity of petrol-hybrids are among the factors that have seen a major drop in the sale of LPG, and the removal of LPG bowsers from many service stations.
As a result, RAA’s Car Advice service regularly receives enquiries about LPG availability. The RAA fuel app shows the location of autogas outlets in South Australia, and if you’re travelling interstate, you can use the Petrol Spy app.
If you’re planning a long-distance trip, make sure you know where the autogas outlets are before you start your journey.
Dual-fuel vehicles that can switch between petrol and LPG haven’t been affected as much as LPG-only vehicles, like some of the home-grown Falcons and Commodores produced from the early to mid-2000s.
If you’re driving a dual-fuel car, it’s important to regularly run it on petrol or this fuel can become sticky and ineffective.
Our team also receives enquiries about converting LPG-only vehicles to petrol, but this is unviable because it requires installing a whole new fuel system.
If you have a car question, visit RAA Car Advice at raa.com.au/car-advice or call 8202 4689.
Win for school students in State Budget
The State Budget has allocated funds for several South Australian road safety and transport projects. Public transport for students is set to become cheaper thanks to $20.7 million in the next four years. The cost for a student metroCARD 28-day pass in South Australia is now $10, down from $28.60.
In a major win for northern commuters, the Curtis Road rail crossing at Munno Para will be replaced by a road overpass with the State Government committing $125 million for the project, while the Federal Government will provide a further $125 million. Curtis Road was at the top of the metro roads list in RAA’s recent Risky Roads survey.
A further $30 million was allocated for the Heaslip and Curtis Road intersection upgrade at Angle Vale.
The High Productivity Vehicle Route, which includes the Adelaide Hills Freight Bypass and works between Murray Bridge and Truro, will receive $125 million from the State Government to complement $525 million in Federal funding. The Mount Barker on-demand bus service will be made permanent thanks to a $12.5 million boost. The service provides bookable pick-ups and drop-offs around Mount Barker, Nairne and Littlehampton.
The Main South Road upgrade between Myponga and Yankalilla received $40 million on top of $40 million already committed by the Federal Government.
The section of Main South Road from the Southern Expressway to Cape Jervis ranked second on the Risky Roads regional roads list.
A $110 million road safety package was announced, which includes funding for road safety maintenance and safety cameras.
RAA Chief Executive Officer Nick Reade is pleased with the investment in Curtis Road and the commitment to the Adelaide Hills Freight Bypass, but he says there are still many road maintenance projects that need attention.
“There’s a $2 billion road maintenance backlog which amounts to more than 2500km of our road network,” he says.
Nick welcomes the reduction in student metroCARD fares, saying it will reduce the daily cost of travel for thousands of students.
Motoring expert Mark Borlace retires
After 43 years at RAA, Mobility Technology Specialist Mark Borlace is retiring. Many South Australians will have seen Mark on TV reporting on a wide range of motoring issues, as well as reviewing vehicles for sa move magazine.
We chat to Mark about the highlights of his diverse career and where he sees motoring heading in the future.
sa move: What’s been the main benefit of working at RAA?
Mark: RAA’s role in the community is so varied. I’ve been able to enjoy a multitude of different roles and experiences with the same employer.
In the early days, I worked with the technical department, testing products like roof racks, battery chargers and rust-proofing methods.
I was also lucky enough to work with our dedicated Road Service and Car Advice teams.
For more than a decade, I was Chief Judge for Australia’s Best Cars, which became the gold standard for consumer-based car awards.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the World Solar Challenge, where solar-powered cars compete in a time trial from Darwin to Adelaide.
Because RAA’s an independent organisation, our members can trust we’re here to represent their interests. Our policies are always research-based, and if we approach government with an issue, we often offer a solution.
sa move: What achievements are you most proud of?
Mark: I’ve been on the ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) council since it was established, so more than 30 years.
We went from pre-airbag safety testing, to the current suite of modern tech, which focuses on accident avoidance as well as improving survivability in a crash.
I think ANCAP is a great program for helping consumers make safe choices when buying a car.
More recently, the successful lobbying to have real-time fuel pricing legislation passed has allowed motorists to find the cheapest fuel on any given day.
sa move: Where do you think motoring’s heading in the future?
Mark: I was part of the working group that saw SA become the first jurisdiction in the world to pass legislation allowing autonomous vehicles to be driven on public roads for trials. Having seen this technology in action, I feel confident in saying this is where we’re heading.
And, of course, electric vehicles will continue to be an increasing presence on our roads.
sa move: What are your plans for retirement?
Mark: I have a 1971 VW Kombi that I’ve been having restored for a while now, so I’d like to get that finished and on the road. And my partner Monique and I are thinking of spending some time travelling, and perhaps living overseas for a while – maybe Europe.
Mark has been a valuable and highly respected member of the RAA family for more than four decades, and we wish him all the best in retirement.
SA road in focus
In each edition of sa move, we shine the spotlight on a South Australian road.
Length
Casualty crashes
Lives lost
Serious injuries
Minor injuries
The road: Horrocks Highway
Why it’s in focus
Horrocks Highway connects Gawler to Quorn, passing through several regional towns, including Clare, Gladstone, Laura and Melrose, en route to the southern Flinders Ranges.
It’s an important transport corridor for freight and the agricultural industry, and a popular route for travellers heading to the Clare Valley and Flinders Ranges.
Horrocks Highway has been a high priority for RAA’s road safety advocacy for many years. It was nominated the state’s riskiest regional road in RAA’s 2017 and 2019 Risky Road surveys, and the second riskiest regional road in 2021.
Crash history (2019–2023)
Three quarters of casualty crashes occurred on the section between Gawler and Clare, which is only about a third of the length of Horrocks Highway.
Hitting a fixed object, which accounted for 27 per cent of crashes, was the most common type of crash. Nearly half of the fixed objects hit were trees.
At 17 per cent, right-angle crashes at intersections along the road were the second highest crash type, and rollovers were third at 15 per cent.
Recent upgrades
About $100 million in upgrades have been undertaken in the past five years, including new overtaking lanes, bridge upgrades, shoulder sealing, audio-tactile line marking, safety barriers, intersection upgrades, and other maintenance work.
In September 2021, RAA reviewed the upgrades and identified significant improvements where work had been completed. This saw many former one-star sections – rated under the AusRAP national road star-rating scheme – achieve two or three stars, and two-star sections receiving three stars or higher.
This was reflected in the 2024 Risky Roads survey, which showed Horrocks Highway had dropped to SA’s eighth riskiest regional road – its best survey result so far.
RAA believes these improvements have contributed to the lower crash figures in recent years.
What RAA wants done
About $100 million in upgrades have been undertaken in the past five years, including new overtaking lanes, bridge upgrades, shoulder sealing, audio-tactile line marking, safety barriers, intersection upgrades, and other maintenance work.
In September 2021, RAA reviewed the upgrades and identified significant improvements where work had been completed. This saw many former one-star sections – rated under the AusRAP national road star-rating scheme – achieve two or three stars, and two-star sections receiving three stars or higher.
This was reflected in the 2024 Risky Roads survey, which showed Horrocks Highway had dropped to SA’s eighth riskiest regional road – its best survey result so far.
RAA believes these improvements have contributed to the lower crash figures in recent years.
E-scooters allowed on public roads
E-scooters can now be used legally on South Australian public roads and footpaths.
They can be ridden on roads with a speed limit of up to 60km/h, provided riders stick to bike lanes and travel no faster than 25km/h. If there’s no bike lane or the bike lane isn’t operational, riders must use the footpath. On roads where the speed limit is 50km/h or less, riders must keep as far left as possible. On footpaths, shared paths, beaches and road crossings, the speed limit for e-scooters is 10km/h, and riders need to give way to pedestrians.
Riders must be at least 16 years old and wear a helmet, and front and rear lights must be used at night or in low light.
RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain says e-scooters give road users another option to get around and will help reduce the pressure on our road network.
“Recent RAA research suggests about 70 per cent of our members are in favour of these devices being legalised for use on public roads,” Charles says.
“The new safety regulations and their enforcement, in particular speed limits, will be critical to ensure the safety of riders and other road users isn’t compromised.”
The rules are similar for other Personal Mobility Devices (PMD) like e-skateboards and e-solo-wheels. However, unlike e-scooters, they can only be ridden on roads with a speed limit of up to 50km/h.
PMD use under the new rules is being monitored for a 12-month period that began in July.
IMAGES: Getty; RAA/Matthew Vertudaches, Mike Lockheart, Thomas Aldahn.
