Work together as one this Road Safety Week

This Queensland Road Safety Week (QRSW) drivers are being encouraged to work together as one team to keep road users safe.

The annual event will run from Monday 26 August to Friday 30 August under the theme of ‘One Team’.

Returning for its tenth year, the StreetSmarts state-wide initiative is a critical opportunity for motorists to familiarise themselves with road safety measures and make better decisions when driving, to ensure everyone reaches their destination safely.

“Queensland Police are committed to reducing the trauma on Queensland roads, but we can’t do that without your help,” a QPS spokesperson said.

“Police will continue to adopt a zero-tolerance policy of unsafe driving to deter these behaviours and to raise safe driving education through engagement with Queensland road users.

“By working together with the community, we can all play a part in making Queensland roads safer for everyone.”

As part of Queensland Road Safety Week, here are some key topics and information to keep in mind:

Motorcycle riders

• Motorcycle riders and their passengers make up around 27% of lives lost on Queensland roads, a shocking statistic considering they make up only around 5% of vehicles registered on the road.
• As one of the most vulnerable road users, research shows that they are 30 times more likely to be killed in a crash than car occupants.
• Motorcycle riders have less protection than motorists and are more likely to be injured if there is a crash.
• It is essential to emphasise the need for increased caution and awareness among motorists to look out for riders.
• Police continue to ask motorists to:
  o Actively look out for motorcycle riders
  o Check your surroundings, blind spots, and indicate before changing lanes or turning
  o Obey the road rules
  o Be extra careful around motorcycles in wet weather – the road can become oily or slippery and reduce visibility.

Fatal 5

• The Fatal Five – speeding, drink driving, failing to wear seatbelts and driving while tired or distracted – are all major contributors to lives lost on our roads and are all avoidable.

Speeding

• Speeding is a major factor in serious injury and fatal traffic crashes. Speeds just 5km/h over the speed limit in urban areas are enough to double the risk of a casualty crash.

Drink driving

• Drink driving is the number one contributing factor in 30% of fatal crashes in Australia. More than one in dour drivers and riders killed on Australian roads have a blood alcohol content exceeding the legal limit.

Seatbelt safety

• Failure to wear a seatbelt is one of the leading causes of road crash death. Unrestrained drivers and passengers are eight times more likely to be killed in a road crash.

Drug driving

• Drug driving is an increasing road safety problem. Drug use is associated with being involved in a crash, the risk is similar to driving with blood alcohol of 0.1 to 0.15 per cent.

Driver distraction/mobile phone

• Using a mobile phone while driving is highly distracting and increases your risk of a crash four-fold, even when using a hands-free kit. Despite the dangers and illegality, around 60 per cent of drivers have admitted using their mobile phone to talk and text.

Lives Lost

• As of 19 August, 184 lives have tragically been lost on Queensland roads, marking a significant rise from this time last year, which saw 150 lives lost.
• Many of these fatalities have been the result of speeding, or other dangerous driving behaviours.
• Every life lost, is one too many and it is these high number of fatalities that have shaped our increased presence on the roads.
• Motorcyclists are severely over-represented in lives lost, with motorcycle or moped rider and pillion fatalities accounting for 50 of the total lives lost (as of August 19), despite only making up around 5% of vehicles registered on the road.
• For every life lost there is an additional 26 people who receive serious injury from road trauma.