Latest News

• Add My News • Search Old News

Gippsland › Latest news › Life Saving Victoria

Caution while driving needed in August as data shows most dangerous month for transport-related drowning in Victoria

Life Saving Victoria (LSV) is calling for caution while driving, as surprising new data reveals August is the most dangerous month for transport-related drowning in Victoria.

By news@gippsland - 3rd August 2022 - Back to News

It's a road risk rarely considered, however Victorian statistics collected since the year 2000 have shown that more people drown while driving in August than any other month, with people aged 25 to 64 most at risk. With one month of winter remaining, Life Saving Victoria general manager research and health promotion Dr Bernadette Matthews hopes to raise awareness of the potential dangers of driving around water or in wet, stormy, or flooded conditions.

Tune in to your local emergency radio broadcaster to keep track of road emergency events and avoid road disruptions

Road accidents cause

Dr Matthews said, "While most people are aware of road risks such as drunk driving, speeding, and not wearing a seatbelt, they are often unaware of the risk of drowning while driving. It sounds like an oxymoron, but since 2000, 43 people have drowned while in transit in Victoria, including veering into lakes, rivers or dams, or being washed away in wet conditions while driving, cycling or in other transport. Most of these occurred while driving and during August."

"Additionally, between 2004-05 and 2014-15, 84 Australians drowned while attempting to drive through floodwaters, proving the risk of drowning while driving is greater than you may think," Dr Matthews said.

Thankfully, Dr Matthews says there are simple steps you can take to ensure you and your family stay safe while travelling. "First and foremost, always be vigilant while driving," she said. "A moment's distraction while checking a text or changing a song can be all it takes to veer off the road and into water." Dr Matthews said.

Keep track of emergency weather

Dr Matthews said, "Make sure to check the conditions before you go and keep track of warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology and by tuning into the local emergency broadcaster. Remember, conditions can change quickly. Finally, if you are driving near waterways and you notice the water level rising, change your route and go to higher ground as quickly as possible, as flash flooding may occur."

"It doesn't take much to make your car unstable, lose traction or wash away - a car can float in just 15 centimetres of water, the height of an average pen - so never attempt to drive through flooded roads."

Travellers can also keep track of emergency weather events on the VicEmergency website, which provides real-time map displays of incidents including floods, storms and beach closures.

Pictures from East Gippsland Flood Watch Facebook page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

• Tim Bull slammed labor for $13M machete amnesty waste, penalising Gippslanders while failing to target urban crime effectively
  Gippsland East MP Tim Bull criticized Labor's $13 million machete amnesty, calling it wasteful, ineffective, and unfairly punishing rural Victorians while targeting areas with no machete problem.
• Victorian Health Department sets Gippsland priorities, access, workforce, safety, shared services, and mental health expansion
  The Victorian Department of Health has set four Gippsland health priorities: access, workforce, safety, and shared services, while highlighting mental health needs and significant workforce investment at Warragul's regional health leaders' forum.
• Bass Coast Shire Council urges Victorian government, LSV to ensure lifeguard patrols continue safely, without cuts
  Bass Coast Shire Council urges Victorian government and LSV to guarantee lifeguard patrols, warning proposed funding hike strains budgets while beaches remain high-risk, with recent drownings highlighting urgent safety needs.
• Baw Baw Shire Council meeting snapshot - Wednesday 27 August 2025
  Baw Baw Shire Council's 27 August meeting covered petitions, Warragul planning permits, Aberfeldy roadworks, draft strategies, community consultation, governance updates, with meetings live-streamed and open for public participation.
• Tim Bull urges state government to fund Surf Life Saving, preventing East Gippsland ratepayers covering government shortfalls
  Gippsland East MP Tim Bull urges state government to fund Surf Life Saving Victoria, warning councils face doubled contributions while new Emergency Services levy strains East Gippsland and Wellington budgets.
• Latrobe Valley's new 100MW big battery boosts energy reliability, cuts power bills, and supports Victoria's renewable transition
  A 100MW Latrobe Valley big battery has officially opened, boosting energy reliability, cutting power bills, and supporting Victoria's renewable transition, helping achieve government storage targets while delivering affordable electricity.
• Darren Chester secures $20,000 to preserve Tambo Valley trenches commemorating Victoria's WWII history
  Darren Chester secured $20,000 funding to preserve the historic Tambo Valley Trenches, enhancing access, safety, and interpretation, while honouring East Gippsland's wartime history and boosting cultural tourism along the Great Alpine Road.
• Allan Labor government backs First Nations athletes in Eastern Victoria with new sports grants
  The Allan Labor government has announced over $67,000 in Aboriginal Sport Participation Grants, supporting First Nations athletes in Eastern Victoria with travel, uniforms, and equipment to compete locally and nationally.
• Melina Bath criticises Labor government shutting public beekeeping, threatening Victoria's food security and horticultural jobs
  Melina Bath condemned the Allan Labor government's closure of public land beekeeping, warning it threatens food security, pollination, horticultural exports, and regional jobs, calling for policy reversal and support for apiarists.
• Melina Bath urges Labor government to scrap emergency services tax as VFF survey shows farmers' frustration and concern
  The Nationals' Melina Bath urged the Allan Labor government to scrap the emergency services tax, citing VFF survey findings showing widespread financial, mental, and regulatory pressures on Victorian farmers.
• Melina Bath criticises Labor government, calling Myki's delayed tap-and-go rollout a "mythical unicorn," outdated and incompatible
  Victoria's long-promised tap-and-go public transport system has been delayed until 2028, leaving commuters, especially in regional areas, still reliant on outdated Myki cards and paper tickets