A horrific early 2023 run of crashes brings road safety into the spotlight for federal assistant minister for transport and infrastructure, Tony Pasin who says duplication of highways including the Dukes and Sturt Highways in his Barker electorate of South Australia, and the Augusta highway in neighbouring Grey, should be priorities. However, Mr Pasin argues, a $5 billion pricetag for the final section of North-South Corridor works on South Road in Adelaide potentially deprives regional South Australians of road safety improvements on their roads.