Page 752 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 29 March 2006
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I provide an example of the deadly consequences of speeding. Few of us realise that the difference between a car travelling at 60 kilometres an hour and 70 kilometres an hour can be the difference between a near miss and a potentially fatal impact. A driver travelling at 70 kilometres an hour, seeing a child 45 metres ahead, would still be travelling at 46 kilometres an hour at the point of impact. For an unprotected pedestrian like a child, this impact would almost certainly be fatal. A driver travelling at 60 kilometres an hour would be able to stop in time to avoid this collision. Studies have indicated that a uniform speed reduction of just five kilometres an hour would cut casualty crashes by about 28 per cent. I challenge all road users in the ACT to try to achieve this reduction in speed. It would see around 110 fewer casualty crashes on our roads per year.
The ACT road safety action plan for 2005-06 identifies the contribution that the government is making to reduce the number of road crashes in the ACT. The government will continue to work with the commonwealth, through the black spot program, to address problems at particular locations. As well, there is the ongoing work undertaken by the Department of Urban Services in reviewing and upgrading safety-related road improvements.
In recognition of the increase in motorcycle crashes which resulted in eight fatalities last year, I met with the Motorcycle Riders Association to seek their views and advice on a way forward. Officers of my department will work with training agencies and motorcycle organisations to examine the potential to enhance rider training at the provisional licence holder level.
Another key area to be addressed will be the examination of issues arising from the NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust report into crashes involving ACT vehicles and drivers travelling in New South Wales. The report findings indicate that the number of fatal crashes in New South Wales involving ACT vehicles was similar to the number of fatal crashes within the ACT during the period 1999 to 2003.
In 2006, the Department of Urban Services will be employing a road safety officer to work with ACT Policing and other public authorities to develop a strategic and cohesive approach to the promotion of education and enforcement campaigns.
I acknowledge the significant benefit to the ACT community arising from the work of the NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust. The trust provides funding each year for road safety-related research and hands-on projects. The continuing work of ACT Policing and other emergency services is also a vital ingredient in the ACT road safety action plan, along with the upgrade of and maintenance programs for the ACT road network.
ACT Policing traffic operations is continually examining different methods of traffic enforcement to reduce collisions. Some examples of recent initiatives by ACT Policing include
• the suburban ownership program, in which traffic officers are allocated to a group of suburbs for which they are responsible for targeting traffic hotspots;
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