Dave, another thing that stat points out, is when the city slickers head out into the country, they don't know how to drive country roads... You see alot of deaths on public holiday weekends etc, that are families driving to or from their destination, don't know how to over take, don't know how to drive in the dark etc etc..

So its unfair to blame the country drivers entirely..

Most country drivers spend more time behind the wheel of a car in their life time than anybody else. I learnt to operate a vehicle when I was 8 years old, and I'd say most country kids from my generation and the generations before me would be the same. Because of this, I coasted thru my driving tests and what not, because nerves and inexperience weren't a factor.

The problem I think stems down to driver education, and/or safety. Traction Control, Airbag's, and all these computer gadgets in cars these days take the blame away from the driver, and more to the car. Its similar in the mining industry. Look at BHP. They are bubble wrapping their employees or any one who works for them, and taking the 'common sense' out of being safe. The same is happening in cars. All these cars are given 5 star AMCAP ratings or whatever, something that wasn't given to any Australian Built car before 2006, now every second car has a 5 star rating. People hop in and expect it to be driven for them, the common sense gets taken out of the equation, and bam, you have road fatalities.

Edit: plz dont Ban me Grumpy :P