Page 1828 - Week 06 - Thursday, 9 May 2013
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Road safety is relevant to discussions on sustainable transport planning, particularly in relation to vulnerable road users, and the government has linked its efforts under the transport for Canberra plan with the ACT road safety strategy. The ACT applies 40-kilometre speed zones in school zones, work sites and other areas such as hospitals and universities where there are higher volumes of vulnerable road users. You would have heard in his speech the Attorney-General mention that the government’s share the road campaign has a specific focus on being aware of vulnerable road users.
Noting that Mr Rattenbury’s motion proposes vulnerable road user issues be referred to the Assembly committee, one area the committee may wish to consider is the extent of vulnerable road user injuries arising from incidents that do not involve motor vehicles. The 2012 ACT pedal study, which was conducted by research fellow Dr Liz de Rome of the George Institute and funded by the NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust identified there is a need for improving the conduct of some cyclists, particularly on shared paths. Those of us who have done those walks around the lake en masse for particular charities would know that sometimes there are conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians.
The study that was sent out was a cross-sectional survey of adults aged 17 to 70 who were injured in cycling crashes and presented to hospital emergency departments in the ACT over a six-month period between 21 November 2009 and 21 May 2010. Of the 372 cyclists who met the study’s participant profile, 313 participated in the survey. Of those, 202 people crashed in transport-related environments, including 79 or 25.2 per cent on roads, 16 or 5.1 per cent in on-road cycle lanes, and 107 or 34 per cent on shared paths or other pedestrian areas like pedestrian plazas.
The main findings of the study related to a higher injury rate on shared paths than on roads or on-road bike lanes. This was predominately attributed to high speed and unsafe behaviour, with 24.7 per cent of the crashes on shared paths recorded as a result of a conflict with either pedestrians or other cyclists.
Continuing growth in rates of cycling in the ACT is to be encouraged, but we need to recognise that with more and more users, both cyclists and pedestrians, on shared paths there is a need for the users of these facilities to act responsibly, just as users of roads are required to act responsibly.
Another opportunity to raise awareness for vulnerable road user issues is through driver education. Members of this Assembly would be aware of the ACT’s mandatory pre-learner road ready course. The road ready course raises awareness of vulnerable road users and includes exercises that involve looking out for pedestrians and cyclists. The road ready student workbook also includes statistics on pedestrian crashes and provides tips to improve awareness of vulnerable road users. Work is planned to review the road ready materials, and I understand this will include consideration of how to provide an improved focus on vulnerable road users.
A range of measures can contribute to improved safety for this group, including greater road user awareness, improved physical infrastructure, safer vehicles and enforcement of the laws which are intended to protect road users. I note the attorney
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