Summary

Deaths and serious injuries among female motorcyclists

Motorcyclists are a relatively vulnerable road user group. They have less protection and a higher risk of serious injury in the event of a crash than vehicle occupants. ATSB discussions with motorcycle organisations suggested that the number of female motorcyclists is increasing. Any change in the pattern of road use has implications for road safety.

Summary

This report documents the findings from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s latest survey of community attitudes to road safety. The main purpose of 2003 Community Attitudes Survey (CAS), the sixteenth in the long running survey program, is to monitor attitudes to a variety of road safety issues, evaluate specific road safety countermeasures, suggest new areas for intervention and identify significant differences between jurisdictions.

Summary

The aim of this study was to determine the potential benefits of retrofitting a seat belt reminder device, in addition to the current fivesecond warning light, to existing passenger vehicles in the Australian fleet. It has been argued that the fivesecond warning is lost among the various warning lights that display when the ignition is activated, and that a more persistent reminder would lead to improvements in seat belt wearing in Australia. A more aggressive reminder system therefore would seem warranted to help further reduce road trauma in Australia.

Summary

In 2001, National Transport Insurance Ltd (NTI) volunteered to forward heavy truck crash data to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) for analysis. This report looks at NTI truck crash claims for 1998 to 2002. In an attempt to capture crashes predominantly involving the long-distance truck fleet, the analysis was confined to incidents where trucks were at least 500 kilometres outward distance from base. To eliminate the straggle of crashes at very long distances from base, a cut-off point of 1499 kilometres outward distance from base was used.

Summary

Novice drivers continue to have a higher level of crash involvement than more-experienced drivers, with the consequence that there is ongoing interest in the development and implementation of effective road safety measures for this group. To influence and direct evidence-based practice in this popular area, the department commissioned the development of a best-practice driver education/development program for Australian novice drivers with about 6 months of solo driving experience.

From 1 July 2018, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) will be the sole service provider under the National System for Domestic Commercial Vessel Safety (national system). States and the Northern Territory will stop delivering services and charges at this time.

The Australian Government remains committed to the national system delivering safety benefits for commercial boating, fishing and tourism operations across Australia. Importantly, industry remains supportive of a national system of maritime safety regulation.

Summary

1.1 Background

Summary

This project has reviewed developments in fleet and work-related road safety in Australia, particularly the following areas.

• The extent of the problem.
• Examples of best practice.
• Mechanisms for evaluation.
• Theoretical paradigms and future directions.

From this, the report achieves the following aims.