Between the 7 July 2020 and 6 October 2020, I had the privilege of sitting in the public hearings to listen to a range of experts, organisations and departments on road safety. This included international leaders in transport safety such as Vision Zero Academy from the Swedish Transport Administration, Volvo and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Transport and Society.
Topics discussed in the public hearings included:
- Fatigue;
- Safety Barrier;
- Impact of Drug & Alcohol;
- Road Safety Education in Schools;
- Road Design;
- Driverless Cars & Driver Assist;
- Vehicle affordability;
- Speed Enforcement;
- Current Road Standards;
- Road Toll;
- Motorcycles and road safety;
- Data collection;
- Issues faced in certain local areas such as the Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne.
The Road Toll Inquiry report was published on 25 March 2021 you can find it here.
You can view the transcripts and recordings of the public hearings at: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/eic-lc/inquiries/article/4295
Submissions can be viewed online at: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/eic-lc/inquiries/article/4292
Since the Road Toll Inquiry, we have seen a number of road safety measures be introduced.
In August 2021, the government announced that LED tactile pavings will be installed at pedestrian crossings in Bendigo and Trafalgar, with trials of glow in the dark line marking and signage.
New research has also revealed that majority of state’s road deaths happen because of a simple mistake. Analysis of Transport Accident Commission data has revealed that, in 2020 alone, 146 (71 per cent) road deaths involved a basic error, as opposed to high-risk behaviours such as speeding, drink-driving and drug-driving. This certainly has shifted the focus of road safety and there has been greater emphasis from the government in creating awareness of this issue.
Latest News – Road Toll Inquiry
Inquiry into the Increase in Victoria’s Road Toll – report
I am proud of this report and its recommendation to improve the safety of Victoria’s roads, cars and all road users. It is something that I hope the government will have relevant bodies take to heart, as I am sure they will, considering their ongoing commitment to road safety.
A Metre Matters
Earlier this month, I took part in the Legislative Council Economy and Infrastructure Standing Committee’s public hearing on the Inquiry into the Increase in Victoria’s Road Toll. Among the many valuable presenters invited to this hearing, the Committee was joined by Australia’s leading cycling safety charity, the Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF), who presented on their priorities to keep road users safe in Victoria.
Truck driver raises safety concerns to parliamentary inquiry into Victoria’s road toll
Submissions from a B-double truck driver and his wife to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Victoria’s increasing road toll have raised a number of interesting questions about existing requirements for truck drivers.
