Road safety in Australia Chris Brooks Australian Transport Safety Bureau Road safety in Australia Chris Brooks Australian Transport Safety Bureau

1970: : 9.1 Road deaths Per 100,000 Population

3 Road deaths per 100,000 population OECD and Australia

4 Road deaths per 100,000 population OECD nations 1998

5 Australia’s Challenges:  Large country, low population density  Large cities, low population density –Few taxpayers per kilometre of road –Cities separated by large distances –Difficult to achieve efficient public transport –High reliance on roads for goods transport –Large annual distances per person and per vehicle –  Perceived need for high speed limits  High rate of vehicle ownership  Old vehicle fleet (average age > 10 years)  High per-capita alcohol consumption.  Large country, low population density  Large cities, low population density –Few taxpayers per kilometre of road –Cities separated by large distances –Difficult to achieve efficient public transport –High reliance on roads for goods transport –Large annual distances per person and per vehicle –  Perceived need for high speed limits  High rate of vehicle ownership  Old vehicle fleet (average age > 10 years)  High per-capita alcohol consumption.

6 Australia’s advantages:  Only moderate growth in vehicle usage (compared to some APEC economies)  Strong public support for strict regulation to improve road safety –eg: 98% support for Random Breath Testing.  Strong road safety research capacity  Not many motorcycles (compared to some APEC economies) –2.7% of vehicles –0.6% of vehicle kilometres –12.4% of road deaths  Only moderate growth in vehicle usage (compared to some APEC economies)  Strong public support for strict regulation to improve road safety –eg: 98% support for Random Breath Testing.  Strong road safety research capacity  Not many motorcycles (compared to some APEC economies) –2.7% of vehicles –0.6% of vehicle kilometres –12.4% of road deaths

7 Measures that have reduced road deaths:  Seat belts –required in all new cars since 1969 (front seats; front and rear since 1971) –compulsory use since  Random breath testing + publicity  Speed cameras + publicity  Helmets for cyclists and motorcyclists  Road improvements -including “black spot” programs (hazardous road locations)  Safer vehicles: improved occupant protection  Seat belts –required in all new cars since 1969 (front seats; front and rear since 1971) –compulsory use since  Random breath testing + publicity  Speed cameras + publicity  Helmets for cyclists and motorcyclists  Road improvements -including “black spot” programs (hazardous road locations)  Safer vehicles: improved occupant protection

8 Road safety in Australia’s Federal system  Federal Government  State Governments  Local Governments  Non-Government agencies  Federal Government  State Governments  Local Governments  Non-Government agencies

9 Road safety in Australia’s Federal system  State Governments: –Road funding (shared with Federal and local government) –Road construction –Road rules –Traffic police –Licensing drivers –Public education –Registration of vehicles –Research & statistics  State Governments: –Road funding (shared with Federal and local government) –Road construction –Road rules –Traffic police –Licensing drivers –Public education –Registration of vehicles –Research & statistics

10 Road safety in Australia’s Federal system  Federal Government: –Road funding major national roads (mainly inter-city) “black spots” –New-vehicle standards –Research & statistics –National coordination  Federal Government: –Road funding major national roads (mainly inter-city) “black spots” –New-vehicle standards –Research & statistics –National coordination

11 Commonwealth-State Coordination  Australian Transport Council (Ministers)  Austroads (roads and traffic agencies)  National Road Transport Commission  National Road Safety Strategy and Action Plans  Australian Transport Council (Ministers)  Austroads (roads and traffic agencies)  National Road Transport Commission  National Road Safety Strategy and Action Plans

12 National Road Safety Strategy and Action Plans

13 National Road Safety Strategy  “The road toll should not be accepted as inevitable.”  “The priority given to road safety should reflect the high value that the community as a whole places on the preservation of human life and the prevention of serious injury.”  “The road toll should not be accepted as inevitable.”  “The priority given to road safety should reflect the high value that the community as a whole places on the preservation of human life and the prevention of serious injury.”

14 The target:  40% reduction in population fatality rate by 2010  from 9.3 per 100,000 in 1999 to no more than 5.6 in 2010 (Endorsed by Federal, State and Territory Ministers at Australian Transport Council)  40% reduction in population fatality rate by 2010  from 9.3 per 100,000 in 1999 to no more than 5.6 in 2010 (Endorsed by Federal, State and Territory Ministers at Australian Transport Council)

15 Estimated effects of possible measures

16 Safer roads (19%)  Building new, safer roads  Fixing hazardous locations –a small proportion of total road funding –but accounts for almost 1/3 of estimated safety benefits  Building new, safer roads  Fixing hazardous locations –a small proportion of total road funding –but accounts for almost 1/3 of estimated safety benefits

17 Safer vehicles (10%)  Most of the predicted savings up to 2010 from vehicle improvements are from measures already implemented or scheduled –continued flow of benefits as newer, safer vehicles replace older ones.  Most of the predicted savings up to 2010 from vehicle improvements are from measures already implemented or scheduled –continued flow of benefits as newer, safer vehicles replace older ones.

18 Safer road user behaviour (9%)  Enforcement and education programs targeting: –speeding –drink driving –seat belts.  Small additional reductions from improvements in driver licensing and training –focus on extensive on-road experience for learners.  Enforcement and education programs targeting: –speeding –drink driving –seat belts.  Small additional reductions from improvements in driver licensing and training –focus on extensive on-road experience for learners.

19 Estimated effects of possible measures

Road deaths per 100,000 population

21 Possible problems  Vehicle use increasing faster than predicted.  Reduced enforcement impacts (drink driving, speed).  Increasing diversity of the vehicle fleet –more small cars, more big vehicles.  More motorcycle riders.  Economic factors.  Vehicle use increasing faster than predicted.  Reduced enforcement impacts (drink driving, speed).  Increasing diversity of the vehicle fleet –more small cars, more big vehicles.  More motorcycle riders.  Economic factors.

22 Possible solutions: areas of focus  Speed management  Safer roads  Impaired driving –alcohol –drugs –fatigue  Vehicles (including new technology)  Speed management  Safer roads  Impaired driving –alcohol –drugs –fatigue  Vehicles (including new technology)

23 Speed: research findings  Small changes in travel speed make a surprisingly big difference to the risk of a serious crash –a speed increase of about 10% doubles the risk of a casualty crash 5 km/h in urban areas 10 km/h in rural areas.  A uniform speed reduction of 5 km/h across the road network would cut casualty crashes by about one quarter (27%).  “Moderate” speeding (up to 10 km/h over limit) adds up to a big safety problem.  Small changes in travel speed make a surprisingly big difference to the risk of a serious crash –a speed increase of about 10% doubles the risk of a casualty crash 5 km/h in urban areas 10 km/h in rural areas.  A uniform speed reduction of 5 km/h across the road network would cut casualty crashes by about one quarter (27%).  “Moderate” speeding (up to 10 km/h over limit) adds up to a big safety problem.

Relative Risk of Crash Involvement for Alcohol (RARU, 1980) BAC (g/100mL) (case-control study)

(RARU, 1980) (RARU, 1997) Relative Risk of Crash Involvement for Alcohol and Speed (60 km/h zones) BAC (g/100mL) SPEED (km/h) (case-control studies)

26 Comparing risks: alcohol and speed BAC (in 60 km/h zones) Speed (km/h)

27 Speed management  Speed limits  Enforcement –intensity –tolerances –penalties  Education / persuasion  Traffic calming  New technology (eg, Intelligent speed adaptation)  Speed limits  Enforcement –intensity –tolerances –penalties  Education / persuasion  Traffic calming  New technology (eg, Intelligent speed adaptation)

28 Speed card

29 Travel speed and impact speed

30 Speed messages  “Every 10 km/h makes a difference”  “Wipe off five”  “Safe speeding: there is no such thing”  Advantages of lower limits on local streets  “Every 10 km/h makes a difference”  “Wipe off five”  “Safe speeding: there is no such thing”  Advantages of lower limits on local streets

31 Changing community attitudes to speed National surveys:

32 Safer roads  Black Spot programs and “mass action”  Treatments with a high safety benefit: –fixing roadside hazards: remove hazards or use barriers or replace rigid poles with poles that bend or break –shoulder sealing, audible edge lining, night-time delineation –replace intersections by roundabouts –traffic lights, including controlled right turns –separation of road users - centre barriers, pedestrian precincts, bike tracks etc  Black Spot programs and “mass action”  Treatments with a high safety benefit: –fixing roadside hazards: remove hazards or use barriers or replace rigid poles with poles that bend or break –shoulder sealing, audible edge lining, night-time delineation –replace intersections by roundabouts –traffic lights, including controlled right turns –separation of road users - centre barriers, pedestrian precincts, bike tracks etc

33 Impaired driving  Alcohol –random breath testing + publicity –introducing vehicle interlock programs –rehabilitation programs  Other drugs –alcohol test  impairment assessment  drug test  Fatigue –Truck drivers: legislation, training, “chain of responsibility” –Other drivers: education, safer roads, safer cars  Alcohol –random breath testing + publicity –introducing vehicle interlock programs –rehabilitation programs  Other drugs –alcohol test  impairment assessment  drug test  Fatigue –Truck drivers: legislation, training, “chain of responsibility” –Other drivers: education, safer roads, safer cars

34 Vehicles On the agenda:  Alcohol interlocks  Seat belt warning devices  Promoting awareness of safety ratings  Encouraging voluntary uptake of Intelligent Speed Adaptation (eg fleet vehicles)  Truck under-run protection  Automatic crash notification systems On the agenda:  Alcohol interlocks  Seat belt warning devices  Promoting awareness of safety ratings  Encouraging voluntary uptake of Intelligent Speed Adaptation (eg fleet vehicles)  Truck under-run protection  Automatic crash notification systems

35 APEC (RSEG) 12 major road safety problems  Accident data –1. Best way to collect and share accident data.  Highway and traffic engineering –2. Improve road network and traffic safety facilities –3. Roadside cut slope management –11. Accident black-spot approach to reduce accidents  Behaviour –4. Speeding –5. Impaired driving –6. Vehicle overloading –7. Seat belts and motorcycle helmets  Accident data –1. Best way to collect and share accident data.  Highway and traffic engineering –2. Improve road network and traffic safety facilities –3. Roadside cut slope management –11. Accident black-spot approach to reduce accidents  Behaviour –4. Speeding –5. Impaired driving –6. Vehicle overloading –7. Seat belts and motorcycle helmets Australia: Improving injury data + mass action + speed limits (including road improvements to reduce fatigue risks) (looking at seatbelt reminder systems)

36 APEC (RSEG) 12 major road safety problems  Vulnerable groups –8. Pedestrian safety –9. Elderly people safety  Others –10. Community approach –12. Social awareness  Vulnerable groups –8. Pedestrian safety –9. Elderly people safety  Others –10. Community approach –12. Social awareness Speed management, road environment are key areas

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