19 May 2016 Corryong Courier, Corryong VIC (General News) Victorians are four times more likely to die on rural roads, with a disproportionate number of country people losing their lives, according to the Transport Accident Commission (TAC). Victorias Road Safety Strategy and Action plan, Towards Zero 2016-2020, includes $340 million to reduce the road toll and upgrade more than 2,500 kilometres of rural and regional roads across the state. The state government has announced the investment which will upgrade roads across Northern Victoria. Twenty known crash black spots have been identified and works include:Hume Fwy/Hwy between the M80 Ring Road at Thomastown and Albury will be upgraded with flexible roadside barriers and rumble strips. This road has seen 26 fatalities over a five year period. Goulbum Valley Highway between Yea and Molesworth will be upgraded with flexible roadside barriers and rumble strips. This road has seen eight fatalities over a five year period. Beechworth-Wodonga Road between Beechworth and Yackandandah Road will be upgraded with rumble strips. This road has seen three fatalities over a five year period. High-speed rural roads that carry medium volumes of traffic will be safer with the installation of rumble strips and wide centre-lines to better separate oncoming traffic. These have been shown to reduce the number of lane-departure crashes by as much as 49 per cent. Curve treatments like advance warning signs and reflective guide posts will also be installed to make it safer and easier for people to navigate windy roads. Nearly half of all road deaths and a quarter of all serious injuries happen on roads posted at 100 and HOkm/h. The installation of 330kms of flexible barriers will help to reduce run-off road and headon crashes by up to 85 percent on these sections. The package is a key component of Towards Zero 2016-2020 Victorias most ambitious action plan to reduce the states road toll to below 200 by 2020. Ive lost friends to accidents on country roads and know there are few towns spared the tragedy of losing someone to the road 1011, said Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes.