South Australia needs to reduce its road toll by almost a quarter in little more than two years.

Ambitious? Yes, but consider this. Over the last 33 years the number of people killed on this State’s roads has fallen by 70 per cent. There have been record low fatalities in 2006 and 2007 and this progress is continuing.

South Australia is aiming to reduce its annual road toll to less than 90 fatalities and the rate of serious injury to less than 1000, by 2010. Ambitious? Yes. Impossible? No.

In launching The South Australian Road Safety Action Plan 2008-2010 in July, Road Safety Minister Hon Carmel Zollo declared the importance of community engagement and participation in meeting these targets.

< ninety has been created with that in mind. It will track our progress toward the targets on a regular basis and keep everyone with a role in road safety informed of what has been done, what is being done, what is planned for the future and what needs to be done to meet them.

Just how many lives are saved and how big a dent is made in the $900+ million cost of death and injury on our roads will depend largely on how effectively a unified voice can deliver a unified message.

< ninety is one of those voices and your contribution is welcome.

Martin Small
Director Road Safety

> Contact us with feedback or submit an article for the next edition
> Visit our new road safety website
> Road Safety Action Plan 2008-2010

There have been 49 fatalities for the first 7 months of 2008. This is the lowest 7 month total for fatalities recorded in South Australia since systematic recording began in 1950.

Since 2003 SA has recorded an average of 11 fatalities per month. In the last 7 months this has decreased to around 7 fatalities per month. To achieve the 2010 target fatalities need to remain on average below 8 fatalities per month.

A considerable decrease in serious injuries will be required to meet that target by 2010. A reduction of 180 people seriously injured each year is required for the next 2 years based on our current figure of 1292 for the 12 months to the end of June 2008.

> Road Crash Facts

Safer Roads, Safer Speeds, Safer Road Users and Safer Vehicles are the four key areas being addressed to achieve a safer South Australia.

This approach and the practical initiatives planned and underway are explained in the recently released South Australian Road Safety Action Plan 2008-2010.

They are featured on our new road safety website and will be explored through future editions of < ninety. The Government’s commitment to Safer Roads is outlined in this edition.

> South Australia Road Safety Action Plan 2008 - 2010

Road safety programs are driven from the ground up. In other words, what actually takes place on our roads drives our efforts.

Stronger legislation, improved education and tougher enforcement initiatives are targeting those issues known to be significantly linked to fatalities and serious injuries.

• Speed – it is estimated that speeding and inappropriate travel speeds directly contribute to up to 40% of deaths each year.
• Drink Driving - the incidence of drink driving amongst drivers and riders killed is an average of 33% and those seriously injured is 20% per year.
• Restraints - 35% of drivers and passengers killed are not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
• Young drivers – those aged 16-24 make up just 12% of the population but account for 27% of fatalities and 30% of serious injuries each year.
• Of all drivers and riders who were responsible for fatal crashes in 2007, 28% had previously had their licence disqualified on at least one occasion. 16% did not hold a licence at the time of the crash. Visit the News section of our website for more information on Proof of Service laws targeting those who try to avoid disqualification.

> Road Safety Website

Safer roads and roadsides are more forgiving of human error and require significant resources and investment. Identifying and treating hazardous locations and designing, constructing and maintaining roads and roadsides can reduce the risk of crashes and minimise the severity of injury if a crash occurs.

The most common cause of fatal and serious injury crashes in South Australia is hitting a fixed object, be it a tree, stobie pole or other fixture on the side of the road. These crashes are often a result of a driver over-correcting the steering when the left-side wheels leave the road because of speed, fatigue or inattention. Sealing the road shoulders can reduce this type of crash risk by up to 40% and so continuing work on shoulder sealing is a high priority, as is work to remove hazards or protect motorists from them.

The 2008 State Budget included the following allocations for safer roads:

• $29.4m will be injected into shoulder sealing programs for high priority roads.
• $4.23m for the Rural Road Safety Program to address rural roadside hazards.
• $13m for safer railway level crossings.
• $4m to expand safety cameras (red light and speed cameras) at intersections with high crash rates.
• $2m for point-to-point speed cameras and enforcement on Highway One
• And, more than $700 million will be spent on improving the State’s roads over the next four years.

> Safer Roads
> 2008 State Budget

Any crash that involves a train or tram results in major trauma. Over the past five years there have been 26 collisions between vehicles and trains on South Australian roads.

Road user behaviour is the major causes of crashes at railway level crossings. Actions like queuing at level crossings, not expecting or looking for a second train, not paying attention to the railway level crossing signs or signals, running warning lights and evading boom gates can result in serious injury or death.

Caution More Than One Train
South Australia is the first State in Australia to introduce a warning system which will greatly improve safety for pedestrians at rail crossings.

The More Than One Train warning system is now operational at Emerson Station on the Noarlunga line. Signs read Caution More Than One Train. They illuminate and sound an audible alarm to alert pedestrians when multiple trains are approaching. The system will be installed at 17 sites across the metropolitan network – on all major rail lines including the Glenelg tram line.

Level Crossing Black Spot Program
A new jointly funded level crossing improvement program between the State Government and the Local Government Association will deliver upgrades to a host of level crossing black spots right around South Australia.

In all, the program will see up to $4 million spent on making the regional network safer with local councils to apply for grants for projects such as improved warning signage, sight clearance, lighting upgrades, traffic schemes, crossing closures and road realignment.

> Rail Safety
> View More than One Train advert

Communities that connect can make a real difference to road safety.

The South East region of South Australia is connecting its community with South Australia’s first ever regional road safety strategy.

The recently released South East Road Safety Strategy 2008-2010 arose directly from the community’s commitment to reducing road trauma in the region. The strategy acknowledges three quarters of all serious road casualties in the region are people who live in the South East and sets a target of reducing the number of serious casualties (fatalities and serious injuries) to less than 76 by the end of 2010.

DTEI’s newly appointed Community Programs Officer for the South East, Ms Dawn Kanofski will help support the initiative. "I am really looking forward to working with the region's five Community Road Safety Groups to help them achieve their targets" says Dawn.

> Road Safety Groups
> South East Road Safety Strategy 2008 - 2010

Road safety experts will converge on Adelaide from 10-12 November 2008 for the 2008 Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference. The conference is Australasia’s premier annual road safety forum to exchange information on current and future road safety research and programs.

Keynote speakers include Jeanne Breen, an internationally recognised expert on road safety and former head of the European Transport Council, Professor Dr Ahmad Farham Mohd Sadullah, Director General, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research and Wolfgang Blindenbacher, President-elect of the European Traffic Police Network. Program details and registrations are now available at www.roadsafetyconference2008.com.au.

> www.roadsafetyconference2008.com.au