Victorians who have been left with serious injuries after a transport accident may be eligible to access specialist care units constructed by the Transport Accident Commission.
There are currently two groups of units situated in Abbotsford and Lilydale, with plans for further units in Frankston and Glenroy. Residents of the units are able to communicate with support staff and control certain household functions electronically to accommodate their restricted mobility.
While the construction of these facilities is a welcome advantage for some seriously injured victims of road trauma, the number of units constructed pales in comparison to the number of Victorians who are seriously injured in transport accidents every year.
Further, the location of the facilities reveals a bias towards injured people in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. The absence of plans for facilities in Melbourne's western suburbs or outer rural locations throughout Victoria has the potential to isolate road trauma sufferers from family, friends and familiar surroundings.