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What is NatCrash?
Monash University, in partnership with the University of Melbourne, University of Queensland, and the University of Sydney, with funding from the National Road Safety Action Grants Program, is developing a novel, national motor vehicle crash injury compensation database – NatCrash.
Why do we need NatCrash?
Current national road safety performance is measured by number and rate per capita of both road crash fatalities and road crash serious injuries” (admitted to hospital). Solely focusing on fatal or acutely-serious injuries fails to adequately capture the majority of people sustaining mild-moderate motor vehicle crash (MVC) injuries, thus does not encompass the full motor vehicle crash injury incidence and burden picture. Establishing NatCrash fills this gap. Significant injuries that receive care within emergency departments, from paramedics or community-based medical centres (e.g., general practitioners) are currently missing from road safety performance metrics. Injuries that appear mild-moderate at the time of MVC account for the vast majority of MVC injuries and are costliest to insurance systems. The consequences of these injuries can persist and may cause lifelong issues, disrupting an individual’s life, their support networks, and creating substantial economic and social burdens. Furthermore, long-term outcomes after MVC injury are captured only for select cohorts, such as through trauma registries that differ between states. The NatCrash database will give a comprehensive picture of road safety across Australia by including injuries not included in current national road safety performance measurements. NatCrash will provide an unparalleled opportunity to gain insights into the motor vehicle crash injury claims and outcomes across Australia and between different systems
How is the project funded?
NatCrash is funded by the National Road Safety Action Grants Program. NatCrash and its subsequent evidence base directly addresses the “critical need to improve national road safety data” (National Road Safety Action Plan 2023-25) necessary for policy, service delivery and government decision-making, and will supplement data-related work already underway by Australian, state and territory governments. NatCrash aligns with seven of the nine National Road Safety Strategy 2021-30 road safety priorities: infrastructure planning and investment (by monitoring all compensable MVC injuries), vehicle safety and heavy vehicle safety (collects information on vehicles involved in the crash), regional road safety and remote road safety (collects information on location of the crash), vulnerable road users (includes information on the injured person’s role and vehicle type), and workplace road safety (combined with NDS to get a full work-related MVC injury picture).
How will NatCrash work?
Claims data from Compulsory Third Party (CTP) Insurance claims will form the main data source for the NatCrash database. NatCrash will collect and collate CTP claims data from across Australia and create a uniform database. In Australia, Compulsory Third Party (CTP) provision differs between states/territories in terms of system design (no-fault/common-law/hybrid), benefit delivery and population coverage, and systems are regulated and operated at a state/territory level, without an overarching coordinating agency. This fragmented approach leaves Australia without national estimates of compensable motor vehicle crash (MVC) injury claims or outcomes. By collating this data, NatCrash will provide unique information for monitoring road safety, evaluating road safety initiatives and developing strategies for road safety, injury prevention and rehabilitation. The NatCrash database will also be supplemented with work-related MVC injury claims covered by workers’ compensation, to provide a comprehensive national picture of all compensable MVC injuries/fatalities.
What is Compulsory Third Party Insurance?
Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance is a vital part of the Australian insurance landscape. It provides coverage for personal injury claims resulting from motor vehicle accidents. CTP insurance is mandatory for all vehicle owners in Australia. This insurance does not cover damage to vehicles or property. CTP insurance is designed to ensure that victims of motor vehicle accidents receive compensation for their injuries. Each state and territory in Australia has its own CTP scheme, which can lead to variations in coverage and claims processes.