Page 4283 - Week 13 - Thursday, 25 November 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
3
The main goals of the Draft ACT Road Safety Strategy are:
to contain present road trauma levels despite increased population and road travel, and to create greater community ownership of, and participation in, road safety.
The Draft Strategy identifies six key issues. The first of these is co-ordination and community involvement. It is essential that the limited resources available to promote safety are spent in the most cost-effective way for the community. A framework must be established to ensure there is adequate planning, joint decision making, information sharing and correct prioritisation for road safety programs.
The second key issue is education and the encouragement of safe practice. This strategy, while emphasising the need for education in regard to traffic regulations, also stresses the need for all road users to adopt safe practices. These are habits or behaviours which, while not required by law, will improve road safety. Examples are the use of pedestrian refuge islands, and the use vehicle lights when visibility is poor. Safe practices are vital to our Strategy.
The third key issue is transport and land use planning. If the Road Safety Strategy is to have the desired impact on the community, both now and for future generations, we must incorporate safety concerns when planning land use and future transport needs. Progress in the area requires a steady emphasis on safety and accessibility.
Another key issue is related to safety standards and engineering. Measures in this group aim to ensure that road safety engineering standards are maintained. In addition, this strategy supports the introduction of a new development in road engineering practices - formal safety audits. While design standards set minimum safety levels, safety audits focus on road safety and indicate maximum safety levels.
4283
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .