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Mark Hinchliffe·
Motorbike news
··4 Comments·1 min read

Road Safety review targets speed and riders

AustRoads’ Review of the National Road Safety Strategy
Review of the National Road Safety Strategy identifies riders

Slower speed limits, more hi-tech speed enforcement and safer, flexible road signs for motorcyclists are among the suggested actions from AustRoads’ Review of the National Road Safety Strategy.

We recently criticised AustRoads because their 87-page report outlining the framework for planning road networks totally neglected motorcycle riders.

There is no such case in this 174-page report. Motorcycles are mentioned quite frequently among the “vulnerable road users”.

AustRoads’ Review of the National Road Safety Strategy
Fatality graph

In pointing out the increase in motorcycle crash deaths and injuries, it at least recognises the high rate of take-up in motorcycling and the longer distances travelled compared with other vehicles.

Suggested actions for improving motorcycle safety mainly include building more appropriate roads, improving and maintaining surfaces, leaving roadworks in a safe condition, flexible barriers and signs, and better, higher-tech signage to alert riders to road conditions.

It also recommends using painted cues at the locations of traffic signal detector loops placed under the road, so riders can trigger them more readily when they are the only vehicle stopped at the traffic lights.

READ ABOUT TRAFFIC LIGHT WOES

These suggestions show a welcome awareness of the tough conditions riders must deal with in their daily ride.

Of more concern to riders and all road users is the inordinate priority given to speed in the report.

“Speed management is a core component of a Safe System and remains the best opportunity for a rapid reduction in road trauma,” the report says.

READ ABOUT CHILD SAFETY

It recommends “further exploration of technological solutions to speed management, including extending the use of ISA (electronic intelligent speed adaptation signs) and improved enforcement using point-to-point technology”.

The report also calls for further reducing speed limits on rural arterials and local government roads and in urban areas where road space is shared with vulnerable road users.

It’s a long report and bound to be a handy aid for insomniacs. If you would like to read the full report, you can download it here.

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4 Comments

  1. Really any increase in speed over 30 odd kays just gives you
    increased degrees of dead .Its all about what you do or don’t hit
    As for speed control I went down the pacific highway at christmas
    and was continually worrying about if i had missed a speed sign
    the zones were all over the place, you spend more time worrying
    about fines and demerit points than riding the bike.
    On the way back i got into a 30km traffic jam out of macksville
    the signs telling us there was an accident ahead.
    It was a lie. The problem was the traffic lights at macksville, every
    time a car would want to cross the highway it would put the lights
    through a full round stopping all the traffic on the pacific highway.
    The problem would have been easy to alleviate with a couple
    of coppers on points duty, But all the ones i saw had their fat arses in
    patrol cars with speed cameras
    And all they can do is spend more and more of our money on
    stupid F#####g reports like this

  3. Speed limits are too low already . I have a highway close by that was a single lane each way at 100kph , they upgraded to 2 lanes each way , with local traffic side roads running along side the highway . New speed limit 80 kph ??? and speed cameras in cars or a mobile unit = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

  4. I once read the Macquarie uni white paper on road safety it’s available on the qld police website.
    What was in it was a whole lot to spin talk carefully worded so that the gullible would by the whole speed kills bs. If you read it with a critical eye you will soon see where fact gives way to fiction regarding speeding. The paper states that speeding is a major component in forty six percent of road fatalities, (see we’re justified in hiding speed cameras every five metres)
    But if you look deeper the speeding they’re talking about is inappropriate speed that occurs at or even below the posted limits not exceeding the limit. In fact as little as four percent of fatalities are caused or greatly contributed to by speed above the posted limit.
    The speed kills message was suppose to mean drive a an appropriate speed for the circumstances eg it’s raining and the road is slippery slowdown and be careful,
    But thanks to the revenue raising ability of speed cameras the program has lost it’s focus and is now responsible for a higher road toll than there would otherwise be.
    Drivers are now so distracted and stressed by the fear of getting a fine that they don’t slow down in rain or fog or poor road conditions and they spend so much extra time focused on the speedometer that they are not looking ahead for danger.
    Speed cameras are supposed to be a road safety device and they are claimed to save lives but how many people must they kill before the thirst for revenue is quenched?

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