These regional roads have been named as the most dangerous in Victoria

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Nicole de Souza

 –  Staff Writer

 ·  September 17, 2026

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The most dangerous roads in regional Victoria have been revealed, according to RACV’s 2026 My Country Road survey. This survey split Victoria into five regions, asking respondents to identify the roads and issues that were most important to their communities. Over 6,000 people took part in the survey, voting Princes Highway West between Colac and Camperdown as the most dangerous regional road. They submitted over 10,000 requests for road improvements, with potholes and deteriorating roads listed as the number one concern.

Most dangerous roads in Victoria

The RACV shortlisted 53 sections of country highways that have been identified as high-risk, based on Australian Road Assessment Program data, crash history and traffic volumes. Participants could identify issues and solutions, or nominate their own road of concern.

Overall, Victoria’s Southwest region received the highest number of responses (23 per cent), followed by the Northeast (22 per cent), Northwest (20 per cent), Western (18 per cent) and Eastern (17 per cent) regions.

The top three most dangerous roads were:

1. Princes Highway West, Colac to Camperdown
2. Princes High West, Portland to Port Fairy
3. Loddon Valley Highway, Bendigo to Kerang

Southwestern Victoria

1. Princes Highway West, Colac to Camperdown
2. Princes High West, Portland to Port Fairy
3. Henty Highway, Portland to Hamilton

Western Victoria

1. Midland Highway, Ballarat to Daylesford
2. Western Highway, Ararat to Stawell
3. Western Highway, Ballarat to Trawalla

Northwestern Victoria

1. Loddon Valley Highway, Bendigo to Kerang
2. Northern Highway, Echuca to Heathcote
3. Northern Highway and McIvor Highway, Wallan to Bendigo

Northeastern Victoria

1. Melba Highway, Yea to Dixons Creek
2. Goulburn Valley Highway and Maroondah Highway, Yea to Mansfield
3. Murray Valley Highway, Wodonga to Tallangatta

Eastern Victoria

1. Strzelecki Highway, Leongatha to Mirboo North
2. Princes Highway East, Bairnsdale to Lakes Entrance
3. South Gippsland Highway, Loch to Leongatha

Common issues

71 per cent of drivers named potholes as their top concern, compared to 64 per cent in the 2024 survey. Other issues included narrow roads and poor shoulders or edges (12 per cent), signage, line marking and visibility (10 per cent), speed limits and driver behaviour (10 per cent) and limited overtaking opportunities (10 per cent).

As for improvements, 73 per cent of people wanted roads to be resurfaced. This was followed by duplicating lanes (11 per cent), removing vegetation and roadside hazards (3 per cent) and improving signage or line markings (3 per cent).

“Victorians have told us that the state’s crumbling road network is what worries them most,” said James Williams, RACV Head of Public Policy. “Seven in ten of the concerns raised through this campaign came back to potholes and deteriorating surfaces, and almost three-quarters of the fixes people asked for were as simple as resurfacing the road. These are maintenance and design problems and they are the same in every corner of the state, from the Princes Highway West in the southwest to the Strzelecki Highway in Gippsland.”

RACV conducts the My Country Road campaign every second year, alternating with My Melbourne Road. They will use these results to engage with government, and advocate for road safety improvements.

Find out more about the results here.