Media Release

The RACT's Members have voiced their opposition to a blanket reduction in rural speed limits from 100 to 90kmh.

After looking at figures for serious crashes on rural roads supplied by the Government, the RACT says it believes increased road safety education would be more effective in the fight against the road toll. This sentiment was also shared in many Members' comments to the RACT.

RACT believes that targeted improvements to higher-risk roads utilising the AusRAP program is preferable to a blanket speed limit reduction approach.

The RACT also sought comment from the community through a web poll and a web blog.  More than 1,100 responses have so far been received to both the survey and the blog. They show overwhelming opposition to a cut in the rural speed limit, with some 81% of respondents to the survey opposed to the speed limit cut on rural 100km/h roads to 90km/h.

The data supplied by DIER shows that by far the biggest contributor to rural road crashes is driving without due care and attention, followed by drugs and alcohol usage. Exceeding the speed limit is one of many factors identified in rural road crashes but it is a minor one compared to lack of due care and attention. Road and vehicle defects and even fatigue and falling asleep are bigger factors in rural road crashes than speed.

Serious crashes also involved relatively significant instances of wet conditions, crashes at night time, crashes that involved visitors to the state, crashes involving motor cyclists, and crashes involving P plate and learner drivers.

The RACT says it supports a reduction of speed limits on gravel rural roads to 80 km/h, but sealed 100 km/h rural roads are an integral part of everyday mobility needs.

The RACT believes the DIER data underscores the importance of education. The RACT has for many years called for road safety education to be made compulsory in Tasmanian schools, but successive Labor governments have resisted this important reform.

The Government data shows that better education - whether on inattention, distraction, alcohol and drugs - may be a more effective life saving strategy, perhaps combined with more law enforcement on rural roads together with better maintenance.

Funds generated by the Road Safety Levy should not be used to augment the Government's road infrastructure works program, says the RACT. A larger percentage of Levy funds should instead be used to intensify road safety education programs.

The RACT is also calling for the Government to reconsider its opposition to compulsory road safety education in schools, and it also recommends that a specific and ongoing education campaign be directed at interstate and overseas visitors to make them aware that driving in Tasmania can present different challenges to driving elsewhere.