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RoadWise
Road Safety Newsletter |
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| august 2015 |
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In this issue...
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| Great Southern Road Safety Conference highlights commitment and innovation |
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| The value of working together to reduce road trauma was on show at the inaugural Great Southern Road Safety Conference, held last month in Cranbrook. |
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RoadWise Committee members joined representatives from WA Police, Main Roads WA, Local Governments and the WA Local Government Association to share information and reinforce their commitment to road safety in the region.
Pictured above: Attendees enjoy the inaugural Great Southern Road Safety Conference; Road safety materials on display at the conference.
The conference showcased the work of RoadWise Committees from around the region, with presentations from committees in Albany, Katanning, Denmark, Mt Barker and Cranbrook showing a range of innovative approaches to road safety.
Cranbrook RoadWise Committee Chair, Councillor Peter Denton, said it was a valuable learning opportunity for all those who attended.
“The conference was the perfect time to connect with other RoadWise Committees and learn from what has worked well for other groups. For example, the vehicle checking stations that the Albany RoadWise Committee run are a great concept and could be adapted to run in smaller communities too,” he said.
“Road safety is a complex problem, but the commitment and passion of the people involved in RoadWise Committees in this region is really encouraging”.
“With this inaugural conference such a success, the event will no doubt be back next year”, Cr Denton said. |
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| To find out more about the conference, please contact Road Safety Advisor Erin McDonlad-Lee. |
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| Promoting child car restraint use at Kids Fest |
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| The Kalgoorlie-Boulder RoadWise Committee recently attended Kids Fest in Kalgoorlie, running a free child car restraint fitting and checking service, as well as promoting the importance of correctly fitted restraints. |
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A study recently conducted by Princess Margaret Hospital, which involved an analysis of injuries seen in children after car crashes, found that the wrong restraint could cause harm to a child’s internal organs in the event of a car crash1. The analysis of 161 children taken to PMH after car crashes between 1998 and 2010 showed that while no children died, about one in four had abdominal injuries because they were wearing the wrong restraint at the time of impact.
Type 1 Child Car Restraint Fitters checked restraints while the Committee distributed information to parents about child car restraints. Children helped colour in a mural of Izzy the SDERA road safety mascot and answered questions about seat belts.
The display and fitting station marked the final event in the Committee’s Child Car Restraint Awareness campaign.
Funding was secured through the RAC Community grants program to train a number of new fitters last year. Since then Committee has run a media campaign and held a number of free fitting services which have been well utilised by the community.
A number of the newly trained Type 1 Fitters now run ongoing fitting services through the local YMCA parenting group, ensuring the initiative will continue to have an impact.
Pictured above: Kalgoorlie-Boulder RoadWise Committee members promoting child car restraints at Kids Fest in Kalgoorlie.
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| For more information visit www.childcarrestraints.com.au or call the CCR fitting information line on 1300 780 713. |
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| "I slow down..." campaign |
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| Local Governments around the State are working to reduce travel speeds in their area by distributing "I slow down..." stickers in the community. |
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To remind drivers to slow down, the Town of East Fremantle Neighbourhood Watch Committee is distributing free “I slow down in East Fremantle” bumper stickers.
Vulnerable road users made up around 39% of those killed or seriously injured on local roads in the Town of East Fremantle from 2003-2012.1 Reducing the speed at which people travel along these roads provides a safer environment for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
Mayor Jim O’Neill is leading by example to encourage drivers to slow down as they drive on the Town's streets.
Pictured above: Mayor Jim O'Neill places a sticker on his car to show his commitment to the "I slow down..." campaign
At the City of Rockingham, RoadWise Committee Chair Cr Matt Whitfield, along with committee member and fellow Councillor Ron Pease helped the City of Rockingham promote safe speeds.
The Councillors attached an "I slow down in Rockingham" sticker to the Rockingham Connect Bus to encourage drivers to slow down whilst travelling on local streets.
Pictured above: City of Rockingham, RoadWise Committee Chair Cr Matt Whitfield and committee member and fellow Councillor Ron Pease help promote the "I slow down..." campaign.
Mayor Dave Griffiths and RoadWise Committee chair Cr Wayne Barrett recently launched the City of Gosnells' "I slow down in Gosnells" campaign. City of Gosnells residents can pick up a bumper sticker from the City of Gosnells Civic Centre on Albany Highway in Gosnells.
Pictured above: Mayor Dave Griffiths and RoadWise Committee chair Cr Wayne Barrett using the City’s fleet vehicles to spread the "I slow down..." message.
1 Local Road Crash Report 2012 Metropolitan Region, WALGA |
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| To find out more about road safety and how you can be involved, or to see whether your Local Government is participating in the "I slow down..." campaign, visit the RoadWise Program website. |
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| Mid West road safety projects receive grant funding |
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| Three RoadWise Committees in the Mid West region have received grant funding to implement local road safety initiatives through the Government of Western Australia's Road Safety Community Grants Program. |
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The Shire of Irwin RoadWise Committee in Dongara has been granted $8,200, Kalbarri $9,161 and Morawa $6,900 to fund local road safety projects.
Morawa and Kalbarri RoadWise Committees are planning events such as crash scenario days, education sessions and road safety competitions. The Dongara RoadWise Committee is planning to participate in the next Larry Lobster festival, implement a 'Consider Our Kids' bin sticker project and encourage youth engagement in road safety among many other activities throughout the year. |
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| To find out more about how your organisation can apply for a road safety community grant, visit the Road Safety Commission website. |
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| Onslow Road Users Group farewells a road safety champion |
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| Last month, the Onslow Road Users Group said goodbye to founding member Jaydon Vernes. |
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Jaydon, chair of the group since its inception in 2013, has been a zealous campaigner, striving for positive road safety outcomes for the Onslow community, including minimising negative impacts of industry in the town.
Jaydon has worked passionately to bring stakeholders and the community together to address local road safety issues.
Pictured above: Jaydon Vernes says goodbye to the ORUG.
Jaydon is moving on to new challenges and leaves behind a strong, dedicated group who will continue to promote road safety and foster cultural change in Onslow. |
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| For more information about the Onslow Road Users Group visit their Facebook page. |
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| Towards Zero display trailer returns to the Kimberley region |
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| After spending the past couple of years raising awareness of road safety in the Pilbara region, the Towards Zero display trailer has made its way back to the Kimberley region to be used by RoadWise Committees and community groups to promote road safety messages. |
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Thanks to the generosity of the Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls, the trailer travelled in style from Karratha to Broome where it was picked up by Main Roads WA and taken to Kununurra for the annual Agricultural Show.
The trailer is available for Local Governments, RoadWise Committees and community groups to use and has all the resources needed to engage community members including a laptop, television and collateral materials.
Pictured above: Travelling in style to the Kimberley region; On show and ready for the Show. |
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| If you are interested in booking the Kimberley region's display trailer, email Road Safety Advisor Greg Hayes, or phone mob: 0419 192 759. |
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| Belt Up - you're worth holding onto |
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| RoadWise Road Safety Advisors recently received supplies of A2-sized aluminium signs to help promote the belt-up message in the community. |
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The signs are being placed at schools, hotels, recreation centres, service stations, rest stops and car parks.
They are intended as a visual reminder that we belt up not only for ourselves, but also our families, friends, workmates, team members, everyone who cares about us.
Pictured above: "You're worth holding onto. Belt Up signage."
While only three to five per cent of drivers and passengers do not wear a seat belt, 22 per cent of all those who died in a motor vehicle crash in 2012 were not wearing a seat belt.
1 Road Safety Commission, http://www.rsc.wa.gov.au/Statistics-Research 6 August 2015. |
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| If you are in the Wheabelth North region and would like to find out more about the Belt Up signs, contact Road Safety Advisor Cliff Simpson. For inquiries in other regions, contact your local Road Safety Advisor. |
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| Wheatbelt road safety news |
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| Road safety advocates in the Wheatbelt region are working hard to promote road safety messages across the region. |
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The Inland Lighthouse Network is a grouping of 19 schools in the Central Wheatbelt region that conducts an annual science forum for students in years 5-6 and 7-10.
As part of the forum, students from schools including Kalannie Primary School were able to demonstrate their understanding of road safety topics whilst learning about the relationship between speed and stopping distances.
Wongan Hills District High School received an event grant through the Government of Western Australia's Road Safety Community Grants Program to help present the two day science forum.
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Sporting carnivals are a good opportunity to promote road safety messages to a large audience.
Both the Great Southern and Great Northern Colts recently played their matches at Lake Grace and Wongan Hills Ovals to select teams for Country Week 2015. Both competitions received road safety grants to promote road safety, with the Wongan Hills Oval reinforcing the message “drink driving, it’s never okay.”
Young people aged 17-24 years account for 23% of killed and serious injury statistics in the Wheatbelt region, whilst the issue of drink driving continues to be a contributor to road fatalities and serious injuries in the region.
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People who live, work and travel in the Wheatbelt region are being encouraged to play a key role in Western Australia's first highway safety review.
In July Road Safety Minister, the Hon. Liza Harvey launched an interactive mapping website enabling people to provide valuable information about their driving experiences on selected routes with higher than average crash numbers.
The Wheatbelt Highway Safety Review focuses on 370kms of the Great Eastern Highway and 44kms of the Great Southern Highway (between Chidlow and York).
Find out more about the Wheatbelt Highway Safety Review by visiting the Road Safety Commission (RSC) website.
1Road Safety Commission, http://rsc.wa.gov.au/Statistics-Research/Wheatbelt 25 August 2015 |
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| If you would like to get involved in road safety initiatives in the Wheatbelt region, contact Road Safety Advisors Cliff Simpson (Wheatbelt North) or Rodney Thornton (Wheatbelt South). |
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| Turning their minds to road safety |
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| Avon Woodturners (a branch of the Woodturners Association of WA) recently received an events grant through the Government of Western Australia’s Road Safety Grants Program to help raise awareness of driver fatigue at their displays around the Wheatbelt region. |
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This message was chosen as the subject of fatigue is very relevant to both the operation of machinery and driving.
At the Wyalkatchem Swapmeet on Saturday, 1 August, the woodturners, led by Max Heath and Andrea McCandlish, were demonstrating their art to visitors including Wyalkatchem Men’s Shed. They were also able to talk about the dangers of driving tired.
The Avon Woodturners distributed vehicle litter bags displaying driver fatigue messages, road safety brochures and anti-bacterial wipes branded with driver fatigue messages to everyone who stopped for a chat. Keep rotating you woodturners!
Pictured above: The Avon Woodturners spread the driver fatigue message at the Wyalkatchem Swapmeet. |
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| To find out more about how your organisation can apply for a road safety community grant, visit the Road Safety Commission website. |
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| Students Advising Youth (SAY) Project 2015 |
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| Western Australian Police have given students the chance to Make a Movie, Make a Stand, Make a Difference through the Students Advising Youth (SAY) Project for 2015. |
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In groups of three, students aged between 12 and 18 years were invited to research an anti-drug topic and compile a 90 – 105 second film to show how they could make their community drug free and alcohol aware.
This year the Project focused on “The Problems of Alcohol”.
The top 10 groups will be invited to an awards ceremony in November where the winning group will be announced and awarded with $3,000 in prize money. The Lions Club of Mandurah have kindly donated a total of $10,000 worth of cash prize
Senior Constable Tam McKeown, who created the SAY Project, said young people are often reluctant to take on board the advice delivered to them by adults, whether it is about the use of illegal drugs, road safety or any other community safety topic. |
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| Visit the SAY Project webpage to watch the 2014 finalist films or find out more about the 2015 campaign. You can also view some of the 2015 entries on You Tube. |
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| Road safety events, conferences and resources |
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| Each month, the RoadWise Road Safety Newsletter will provide details of events, conferences or new resources (reports, statistics or data) which may be of direct interest to members of the community road safety network. |
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The information provided below is not intended to be an exhaustive list, rather a carefully selected list, most relevant to our road safety network.
New road safety data, report or statistics:
- Road Deaths Australia—Monthly Bulletins
This bulletin contains current counts and summaries of road crash deaths and fatal road crashes in Australia. Data is sourced from the road traffic or police authorities in each jurisdiction.
- Road Trauma Australia—Annual Summaries
This annual bulletin contains calendar year counts of fatal road crashes and road crash deaths. It also includes rates of deaths per population, per registered vehicle and per vehicle-kilometre-travelled. Data is sourced from the road traffic or police authorities in each jurisdiction, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and BITRE.
- Australian cycling safety
In this paper, several sources of bicycle crash data and exposure data are used to provide an overview of cycling safety and data sources in Australia. Recent trends are identified.
- International Road Safety Comparisons—Annual
This report presents tabulations of road deaths and road death rates for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations and Australian states and territories.
Road safety events:
- Australasian Road Safety Conference, Wednesday 14 - Friday 16 October 2015, Gold Coast, Australia. Visit the conference website to find out more.
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| If you have a local road safety event or a link to a report/data you have found relevant to your local road safety efforts, please email the details to Road Safety Project Officer Kylie O'Driscoll. |
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| Australian Road Safety Foundation Awards 2015 |
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| Each year the Australian Road Safety Foundation rewards excellence and innovation in the field of Road Safety. |
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All Australian organisations, schools, Local Governments and community groups are encouraged to submit their driver education, awareness programs and road safety initiatives for consideration.
To find out whether your organisation or program may be eligible to receive an award, please view the judging criteria and conditions of entry.
There are several categories of awards which cover all manner of organisations and programs, large and small. |
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| Submission form and further details can be downloaded from the awards website. |
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| WALGA |
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ONE70, LV1, 170 Railway Parade,
West Leederville, WA 6007
PO Box 1544, West Perth, WA 6872
Tel: (08) 9213 2000 | Fax: (08) 9213 2077
Email: info@walga.asn.au
www.walga.asn.au |
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| © Copyright Western Australian Local Government Association 2014 |
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