below 200 by 2020

PROTECTING VICTORIANS ON OUR ROADS

victorians have worked hard to become, and remain, world leaders when it comes to road safety.

The Victorian road toll has decreased by more than 35 per cent from 444 in 2001 to 288 last year and overall, nearly 1000 lives have been saved in Victoria since Labors first road safety strategy began. And in the first three years of Labors most recent arrive alive strategy the road toll fell by 14.8 per cent. But since being elected last November, the Baillieu Government has not taken any decisive action to continue this work. They must immediately commit to a new, ambitious road toll target and a range of initiatives that continue to reward responsible behavior, target risky and unlawful behaviour and educate drivers and pedestrians about safer road use.

but theres more work to be done.

500 450 400 350 300 250

WHAT WEVE DONE... WHERE WE CAN GO.

VICTORIAN ROAD TOLL

Road Toll

200 150 100 50 0

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2015

2020

BeLow 200 By 2020

Victoria is in a strong position to reduce its road toll to below 200 by 2020. This is an ambitious goal, but it can be achieved if, as a community, we work together to improve the safety of Victorias roads.

Road SafeTy MiniSTeRial oVeRSighT & accounTabiliTy

To ensure that Ministerial responsibility for road safety is clear, transparent and accountable, labor calls upon the baillieu government to create a Minister for Road Safety to administer the Road Safety Act 1986 and oversee the implementation of road safety initiatives undertaken by various public sector departments and agencies.

SAfer roAdS
To build on completed upgrades to metropolitan freeways such as the M1 and links between Melbourne and geelong, bendigo, ballarat and the latrobe Valley, the next arrive alive action plan should include: n further roll-out of truck exclusion lanes on freeways and highways where it is established that such measures can improve efficiency and road safety for all road users; and n additional speed advisory technology for drivers to self-monitor their speeds.

iMpRoVing Regional RoadS

under labor, $490 million was invested into more than 1300 regional road safety upgrade projects. To continue these improvements, a new fund should be established which directly targets road safety improvements on category c roads in regional Victoria.

addReSSing TailgaTing, dangeRouS dRiVing & Road Rage

To reduce the incidence of tailgating, dangerous driving and road rage, the next arrive alive action plan should include a trial to enable affected motorists to report tailgating to authorities through a dedicated hotline.

leVel cRoSSingS
The next arrive alive action plan should include a trial for break-in radio warning systems and cameras at level crossings, to minimise the risk of train/vehicle collisions.

SAfer VehicLeS
STaRS on caRS
Research shows that if each motorist upgraded their vehicle to the safest in its class, road trauma would immediately drop by up to one third. The voluntary Stars on cars program was launched in 2009 to provide Victorian motorists with more vehicle safety information when buying a new car. To build on its success, people registering a new five star car should receive a Tac premium reduction of, for example, up to $200.

MoToRcycleS
although motorcycle and pillion passenger deaths have dramatically decreased since labors first arrive alive strategy began on average over 40 Victorian riders are killed and about 900 are seriously injured each year. Victorias first safety plan targeting powered two-wheelers was introduced in 2009 and included initiatives to improve roads and road sharing, encourage safe purchasing choices and the take up of protective clothing, and increase education on driver awareness and risk.

further action should: n promote the takeup of abS braking in new vehicles; n Work with stakeholders to develop industry standards for safety clothing, including gloves and shoes that cover the ankle as a minimum; and n introduce a graduated licensing System for new motorcycle riders to reduce the high crash risk of inexperienced riders.

heaVy VehicleS
heavy vehicle road use should be addressed through strategies such as: n continued roll-out of truck exclusion lanes on freeways and highways with three lanes or more where it is established that such measures can improve efficiency and road safety for all road users; n industry partnerships to trial fatigue alert technology and intelligent seatbelt reminder systems and curtain airbags in heavy vehicles, and to promote advanced heavy vehicle braking technology, including automatic braking System and electronic braking System with roll stability; and n increased use of speed warning devices.

SAfer roAd uSerS

young dRiVeRS
young drivers aged 25 and under make up fewer than 15 per cent of licensed drivers on our roads but represent about a quarter of all driver deaths in Victoria. The graduated licensing System was developed to increase driving experience, improve probationary licensing, create passenger restrictions for young drivers and prohibit young drivers from driving high powered vehicles. Responsible new drivers should also be recognised and rewarded with a free three-year licence where a four-year probationary period is completed with no road offences.

VicRoads and the Tac should also provide parents of young drivers with information to reduce the crash risk for newly licensed drivers and young passengers.

Road SafeTy expeRience cenTRe

The Road Safety experience centre is a crucial tool in educating young, newly-licensed and at-risk drivers. in keeping with an overall commitment to better road safety, Tac surplus premiums (estimated by Tac actuaries at around $150 million) should be re-invested, back into road safety initiatives, such as the Road Safety experience centre. The baillieu government should commit to the Road Safety experience centre so that young people and newly licensed drivers can learn first-hand from emergency services experts and crash survivors, and participate in simulations that demonstrate the influence of alcohol, drugs, distractions and speed on driver performance. new drivers who attend the Road Safety experience centre should receive a driving lesson free of charge. and drivers who are convicted of serious driving offences should be required to attend the centre to better understand the impact of dangerous driving practices.

high RiSk dRiVing

To further combat speeding, drink-driving and drugdriving, and to build on existing vehicle impoundment laws for hoon drivers, suspension for drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (bac) of 0.10 or higher, and random roadside drug tests, the next arrive alive action plan must: n pilot the use of iSa (intelligent Speed assist) devices in vehicles of recidivist or dangerous speeding offenders; n increase random, roadside drug and alcohol tests, increase use

of alcohol locks for drinkdrivers and ensure consistent penalties for refusal of drug and bac tests apply; and n include a coordinated enforcement program to target unlicenced drivers through the use of automated number plate Recognition (anpR) technology. fatigued driving is also a factor in about 20 per cent of driver deaths on our roads. To address this, the baillieu governments next arrive alive action plan should trial fatigue alert technology and develop tailored information for drivers at high risk of fatigue, including shift workers, young drivers and long-distance drivers.

School & pedeSTRian SafeTy

To improve safety around schools, the arrive alive school zone program reduced speed limits around schools and electronic speed signs were installed at over 500 schools. The next arrive alive action plan should continue this work by improving the safety of school crossings via the installation of more electronic signs around Victorian schools to alert motorists to reduced speeds at certain times. pedestrians are also highly vulnerable around roads, and speed limits were reduced at some of Melbournes busiest shopping, railway and commercial precincts including lygon Street, bridge Road and chapel Street. To build upon this work, pedestrians should be further safeguarded through: n The continued roll-out of restricted speed limits at busy shopping strips; n expanding of the use of diagonal pedestrian crossings, as used at the flinders Street/elizabeth Street intersection in Melbourne; and n introducing default red signals for traffic lights around areas with a high pedestrian presence at night.

Authorised by N Carroll, 360 King St, Melbourne 3003.