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National Motorists Association AustraliaMEDIA RELEASE
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NMAA Submission to the Queensland Road Safety SummitDRIVER TRAININGYoung and inexperienced drivers are
over-represented in road fatalities. Former Federal Transport
Minister John Anderson has advocated post-licence driver training, as
does the National Motorists Association of
Australia. The
state government resists this strategy. Providing
lectures on
theory, with a brief driving session, does not address the
issue.
Driving is best taught through the "learning by doing" process.
The NMAA recommends that all drivers be required to satisfactorily complete a defensive driving course with an accredited training organisation before progressing beyond P-plates. Such training is an ideal opportunity to reposition the driver's attitude toward driving safely. The level of training required should be at least equivalent to the successful training provided for motorbike riders in other states. Defensive driver training promotes
higher standards, and encourages drivers to develop
a life
long dedication to driving safely.
The NMAA strongly recommends that
the delegates
to the Road Safety Summit should attend an accredited
advanced/defensive driving course so that they can "speak with
authority" on safe driving and, in particular, understand what
motorists need to know about driving. Good courses develop a positive
attitude toward safe driving. In practical terms, drivers learn how to
get out of trouble by emergency braking; if the front brakes lock up;
if the rear brakes lock up; how to steer out of an emergency situation
etc etc. The NMAA can recommend driver training
courses, if requested.
It is apparent that, at present, the
Queensland Government prefers that inexperienced
drivers learn by "trial and error" on public roads.
UNLICENSED DRIVERSUnlicensed drivers are over-represented
in road
fatalities. The Queensland government should
focus on
that. Tasmania has introduced camera technology for
this
function already. Of course, there are other means
of actively detecting unlicenced drivers.
RETESTING DRIVERSOlder drivers are over-represented. State
governments
should retest car drivers before they are 85 years of
age which is
beyond the life expectancy of most people. In some states, medical
checks are not required until age 80 for car drivers.
The NMAA supports regular retesting of drivers at 10
year
intervals after achieving a driving licence. Traffic laws
change
and drivers should pass a knowledge test also. The frequency
of
medical checks and retesting should be increased for older
drivers.
CAR CHASESFatalities arising from police chases are
over-represented. The state
government must provide safer
methods of
apprehending these vehicles and enforce effective
protocols.
The proportion of chases resulting in a fatality is
unacceptable. Police are entitled to a safe workplace
too.
Background: http://www.smh.com.au
DRUG AND ALCOHOL IMPAIRED DRIVINGThe proportion of drug affected drivers
involved in
fatal accidents is reported to exceed 30%. It is
essential to
determine the level of each drug that affects driving ability so that
standards can be applied. Appropriately funded research should
accelerate this process. A practical system of random drug testing
should be applied, similar to random breath testing for
alcohol.
Background: http://www.theage.com.au
Does the present random breath
testing strategy
adequately address the peak periods of Thursday, Friday and
Saturday nights? The opinion of NMAA
is that Queensland still has too high
a proportion
of drivers with alcohol impairment.
ENGINEERING ROAD IMPROVEMENTSMost road fatalities occur on arterial and
feeder
roads. Improvements in road design are
possible on
arterial and feeder roads. Expressway statistics are low
and one reason is that they are
typically well
designed roads. The American Automobile Association has promoted better
engineering at arterial road intersections which
has reduced
fatalities. It has shown that simple changes
such as a
separate lane for left hand turns make significant improvements in road
safety (in Australia, it would be a separate
lane for
right hand turns).
Source: http://www.aaafts.org/pdf/NovDec99.pdf Better engineering of traffic light signal times almost halved red light violations simply by increasing the amber period by a few tenths of a second. Source: http://www.insurancejournal.com Redlight cameras rate poorly. Quoting from the abstract of the 2004 report in North Carolina: "Although wrecks overall are decreasing by about 6 percent per year, wrecks at intersections with cameras are not. In fact, an increase in the incidence of several types of accidents is correlated with the presence of a camera at an intersection..."
Sources: http://www.ncat.edu
and http://www.news-record.com
The negative effects of poorly designed traffic calming devices should be reviewed. Appropriate standards are required and restrictions should be placed on their use. Hundreds of road deaths overseas have been attributed to speed humps delaying emergency services, for example. Source: http://www.drive.com.au The NSW government has analysed vehicle accident costs.Its RTA report entitled "1999 Economic Analysis Manual" demonstrates that freeways are the safest of roads despite their high speeds. It lists vehicle accident costs on divided dual carriageway freeways at $1.25 million per 100 million vehicle kilometres compared with a weighted average of $4.5 million per 100 million vehicle kilometres for all roads. Motoring organisations point
to an 80%
reduction in accident statistics on the Hume Highway after it
was upgraded to a divided roadway with two lanes in
each
direction.
SETTING SPEED LIMITSMany people misinterpret the "speed of
impact" with
speed being the "cause" of the accident.
The foundation stone for any speed limit policy is the requirement that speed limits must be set appropriately. The NMAA is willing to forward a more detailed separate submission on this issue. The plateauing of all three road fatality
ratios since
1997 per ATSB data (fatalities per 10,000 vehicle registrations,
fatalities per 100,000 population, and fatalities
per 100
million vehicle kilometres travelled), is the
determining factor in support of our demand
for a
change of direction.
The promise from academia that focusing on speed would
reduce the road toll has failed to deliver results. Current
methodology of deliberately setting low speed
limits has
failed to reduce road fatalities.
Our recommendation is to implement the 85th
percentile
method of setting speed limits. On the evidence, we
believe
it will assist greatly in reducing road
fatalities and
injuries in Australia.
Quote: "Statistics show that roadways with
speed limits
set at the 85th percentile speed have fewer accidents
..."
Source: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov The concise and easy-to-read speed limit policy of the Washington State Department of Transportation. FATIGUEThe NMAA is extremely concerned at the
increasing
prevalence of fatigue and inattention as
causal factors
and their correlation with lower speed limits and
their enforcement density.
An analysis of four years of data provided by the
Australian
Transport Safety Board challenges the common view that Australians die
alone late at night driving on country roads. Holden Performance
Driving Centre general manager Russell White has provided his findings
to a driver-fatigue inquiry, explaining that the most
dangerous
hours of the day to be on the road are between 3pm and 5pm
when, he believes, a more subtle form of fatigue is at work.
Background: http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au
DRIVEWAY DEATHSAn alarming number
of children are killed on the
driveway of
their own homes each year. Typically, the victims are of
toddler
age and the driver is a family member or friend reversing in
the
driveway. Low vehicle speed does not spare the lives of these innocent
victims.
Background: http://www.chw.edu.au There is a plethora of speed ads on tv, yet there are no ads showing drivers and parents how to avoid driveway deaths. These low speed fatalities are readily avoidable. It is essential to increase public awareness of the risk. Parents and drivers are the target audiences as both can take more adequate precautions. PEDESTRIAN DEATHSPedestrian deaths account for approximately 15% of
fatalities in NSW. It is recognised that around 73% of pedestrian
deaths are caused by pedestrians themselves. In approximately 30% of
cases, the pedestrians were affected by alcohol and/or
drugs. The most effective method of reduction is an
educational
program. The target groups should be the young, the elderly and
inebriated pedestrians.
The NMAA is very impressed with the WATCH
OUT, CARS
ABOUT newspaper advertisements aimed
at pedestrians over
50. The colour pictures are graphic and grab
attention
- one ad shows a boxing ring with an over 50 lady
about
to box with a car. It provides statistical
data about
pedestrians over 50. And it emphasises that pedestrians need to take
care. They first appeared around September 2003 in NSW. The
NMAA recommends that the Queensland Road
Safety Summit
should consider utilising these ads in this state.
SCHOOL ZONESIn safety, hard barriers are far more effective than
soft
barriers. An example of using hard barriers would
be fencing
shut those school entrances that
are adjacent to main
roads and using side street entrances
instead. Examples of
soft barriers are school zone speed signs
and speed
cameras. Soft barriers do not provide a physical barrier between the
danger of moving vehicles and unprotected pedestrians. Another example
of a hard barrier is a pedestrian overbridge or underpass where
a main road is adjacent to a school. This provides
a very
effective means of separating children from the risk.
A major risk factor for pedestrian
injuries around schools is in the category of parking
offences.
Speed cameras will not solve this real threat to
children. Instead of focusing on speed,
the government should
enforce no stopping zones and double parking
regulations at
schools. It is not a glamorous solution and there is less revenue in
that for the government, but it is vital if we are to reduce deaths and
injuries on roads near schools. Children learn from the example that
parents set. Parents who break these basic road rules are training
another generation to become unsafe road users.
The concept of school zones has been poorly conceived
and administered. A large proportion of the
population does
not know when school holidays occur because they do not have
children at school. Public and private schools have different
holidays. Other states have different standard school zone
times. This creates confusion.
The means of avoiding this confusion is
technologically
simple. Flashing warning lights should be a
requirement
at all school zones when they are active. By this means,
motorists are not distracted by looking at their clocks and
watches, or thinking about whether it is a school day. The information
is conveyed directly and simply.
CAMERAS and the OVER-EMPHASIS ON SPEEDWe need far better management of road safety if there
is to
be a sustained reduction of road fatality
ratios below
the 1998 level. As Deputy Prime Minister John
Anderson has stated, the emphasis on speed
"may blind us to other causes". He did not mention
the word
revenue, nor did he offer some other means whereby state
governments can tax motorists.
Speed cameras have become a blight in Australia. There
are
more cameras than accident blackspots in NSW, for example. The
state government focus should not be solely on speed and the
associated revenue.
The concept of the "scientific infallibility"
of speed
cameras has been disproven. Governments in other states have admitted
this. Fines totalling $18 million were refunded
to the
87,000 drivers caught by 19 faulty cameras in Victoria.
Source: http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/newmedia.nsf
An internal government audit
revealed hundreds of fines
which had to be refunded in South Australia: http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au
The NMAA is deeply concerned that increasing reliance on technology such as speed cameras has diminished the culture of personal responsibility in drivers. It is a grave mistake to imbue people with the belief that "as long as you stick to the speed limit you are safe" and that is exactly what is happening. We believe if is far better to have responsible drivers who are engaged in their driving and constantly evaluating their speed, among other aspects of their driving, rather than a fleet of mindless drones focussed on their speedometers. There is no one single measure of safe driving - road safety cannot be measured in kilometres per hour. VISIBLE POLICE PRESENCEOne issue that most road safety groups agree on is
that the
most effective means of improving driver behaviour on the
roads is
via marked police vehicles patrolling the roads. Their mission should
be the enforcement of all of the road rules, consistently, every day
and night of the year. Selectively enforcing one or two road rules is
ineffective. In particular, selectively focussing on speed has proven
to not reduce road fatalities in Queensland since 1998.
Directing
police to undertake random alcohol breath testing during the morning,
because it is the least busy period for police is unacceptable. There
has been a decline in the number of highway patrol members in
the
last decade.We need a highly visible and mobile police
presence on
our roads in adequate numbers.
DAYTIME HEADLAMPSNSW's NRMA is advocating daytime headlamps to
improve
vehicle visibility. The National Motorists Association of
Australia endorses this concept. Most Australian
drivers
consider that headlights are solely for the purpose of
illuminating the road ahead. Few drivers realise that
headlamps
increase the visibility of the
vehicle to other road
users.
The Queensland Road Safety Summit should support this low cost option which dramatically increases vehicle visibility, particularly for dark coloured vehicles. Pedestrians are better protected when vehicles are more visible - some elderly pedestrians have very poor eyesight and hearing. A theme for the introduction could be "switch on to
safe
driving" - when the driver switches headlights on to low beam this is a
conscious decision to drive more safely. An ideal opportunity
to
introduce this would be in the period before the Christmas
holidays.
NO CURFEWSRecently, an overseas based road safety expert has
suggested
that young driver curfews can curb crashes. Countries
that
use curfews have a much lower minimum driving age of 15 years. For
Australia, the concept of driver curfews is impractical. A pedestrian
curfew is just as impractical, even though pedestrians are
statistically more prone to road deaths at night. Curfews are a
superficial band-aid and, at best, an attempt to be seen to be doing
something. A well founded and long term solution is needed.Queensland
Road Safety Summit
RESEARCHState and Territory governments in Australia do not
come
even close to analysing crash causation factors properly, and as a
result little or no data exist for non-serious injury crashes. It is no
wonder the ATSB reports do not analyse causal
factors.
For
example, the NSW government habitually
ticks the “speed” box resulting in the
preposterous claim by
the RTA that, in 2002, “46% of fatal
crashes were caused by
speed”. It is disturbing that different NSW
Government
"authorities" quote vastly different figures for speed as a causal
factor. In stark contrast to the RTA statements, NSW
Police
Traffic Superintendent Hartley is regularly quoted as stating
that
speed causes 22% of fatal accidents in NSW. Which, if either, is true?
Some states, such as South Australia, provide
far
better reports than others. Even New Zealand has better reports.
Source: http://www.ltsa.govt.nz/research/annual-statistics-2001 We need to really determine the causal factors of fatal crashes in Australia by conducting a proper large scale research study very much along the lines of the United Kingdom Transport Research Laboratory report TRL 323. A form similar to the STATS19 form used in TRL 323 with some minor revisions would be suitable. The study should be conducted across Australia rather than confined to one or two states. Exactly the same crash report form should be used by police in all states. OVERVIEWThe NMAA's greatest concern is that Australian road fatality ratios have plateaued since 1997. Data showing the plateauing of road fatalities since 1997 is provided by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. It is preferable to use a ratio such as deaths per 10,000 vehicle registrations, deaths per 100,000 of population and deaths per 100 million kilometres travelled for fair comparison over time and between states. Australian Transport Safety Bureau statistics show that all three road fatality ratios have stagnated since 1997. This is a national disgrace.
Present policy is not achieving
results. As the reason given
for recent reductions in car insurance
premiums
testifies, the vagaries of dry versus wet weather have more effect on
road accidents
than present government policy.
Background: http://www.theage.com.au It is long overdue that the Queensland Government adopted a more effective road safety strategy. The Queensland Road Safety Summit is in a postion to be effective as an agent of change. For Comment, please contact:NMAA Media Spokesperson Michael Lane by e-mailing michaellane@optusnet.com.au or by phoning 0402 431 703. Reference material on double demerit points: Queensland Road Safety Summithttp://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=76437Double demerit points 'don't work' Thursday Dec 8 [2005] "Irresponsible and reckless driving needs to be countered with strong
Queensland Road Safety Summit enforcement and penalties appropriate to
the particular offence 365
days a http://www.cis.org.au/Policy/spr03/polspr03-1.htm by Prof Alan Buckingham "A larger effect might be expected from the NSW double demerit point (DDP) scheme with its stiff penalties for speeding (as well as other offences) acting as a powerful deterrent. Once again, however, despite claims made about the success of DDP in reducing accidents, the data do not support such an assumption." "...the introduction of DDP in 1997 did not lead to a sustained reduction in Christmas fatalities compared with previous years. Furthermore, if the DDP scheme were such a success then we would expect a sharper decline in fatalities during DDP periods than for the year taken as a whole. In fact, for the period 1997-2002 the drop in fatalities Queensland Road Safety Summit during the Christmas DDP period is almost exactly the same as that recorded for the complete year figures. Therefore, the verdict of the DDP scheme for the Christmas period must be 'no effect'." |
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