News

The RACT's 2010-11 Tasmanian Budget Submission calls for:

• The 10+10 year infrastructure plan: a strategic medium to long term approach to transport and infrastructure planning in Tasmania. A good plan, devised by experts, would set a benchmark against which shorter term ideas proposed by different political parties could be assessed.
  
  
• An additional junior Minister or Parliamentary Secretary in the Infrastructure portfolio, to assist with the development and implementation of the 10+10 plan, and with responsibility for the strategic project specialists unit.
  
  
• A small team of specialists, perhaps located as a dedicated unit within DIER, which could coordinate the development of such a plan, and at the same time respond to opportunities such as the Infrastructure Australia call for projects.
  
  
• An AusRAP risk assessment of the wider Tasmanian State Road network (as Victoria has done on its State Road network) to help prioritise the 10+10 Plan and to inform any investment decisions or complementary road safety measures.
  
  
• Audible edge and centre line markings ("rumble strips") where required along the full length of the Bass Highway, as soon as possible; and additional roads as identified in the AusRAP study. Five-year statistical averages in Tasmania show that 46% of fatalities and just under 50% of serious injury crashes are single-vehicle, "run-off-road" (off path on curve or straight) crashes.
  
  
• The teaching of road safety education in Tasmanian schools to be compulsory for all Tasmanian Year 10 students, as a preventive strategy aimed at addressing behavioural change over time and complementing engineering and enforcement measures.
  
  
• A multi-party Standing Road Safety Committee in the Tasmanian Parliament, which has as its constituent functions "road trauma" and "safety on Tasmanian roads and related matters" (as the Victorian Parliament's similar committee does).
  
  
• A substantial research project on inattention as a crash factor in Tasmania, including the dangerous practice of using hand held mobile phones and other devices while driving.
  
  
• Wider use of on-road electronic warning signs, such as the trial at Mt Pleasant. The positive results that have been achieved in the part-rollout of the electronic school zone signs demonstrate the value of these sorts of "on-road" warning/safety measures.
  
  
• Purchase and deployment of at least two more Automatic Number Plate Recognition Cameras, per Police command district, to target unregistered vehicles and unlicensed drivers.
  
  
• A funding boost for Tasmania Police to enable at least 8 more high-visibility patrol cars: four (4!) high-visibility Police cars, for the whole of Tasmania, are simply nowhere near enough.
  
  
• A partnership with the RACT in a campaign to encourage the reporting of dangerous driving to Police: Report Dangerous Driving - It's YOURCall 131-444 through roadside signage
  
  
• High-profile enforcement of speed camera operations should be implemented on a very regular basis, including permanent speed cameras. Fixed and/or portable signs advising drivers of radar camera operations should be used.
  
  
• Despite the scale of the roadkill problem, Tasmanian drivers are under-educated about how to avoid wildlife collisions. We need a public education campaign.
  
  
• Older drivers: As part of our national campaign, the Clubs will be bringing international experts on ageing and mobility to Australia as part of a National Road Safety Summit in February 2010. The RACT would like to see the Government support and share the funding of any Tasmania-based forums that are part of this national push.