Summary

This monograph compares Australia’s road safety performance to its OECD counterparts. The comparisons are drawn taking into account the level of motorisation and population of the countries reported. The results highlight the substantial gains made in road safety both in Australia and many other countries from 1975 to 1996. Full details of these comparisons are reported in Benchmarking Road Safety – The 1996 Report, published by the Federal Office of Road Safety.

Summary

Alcohol abuse and alcohol-related problems remain a major public health issue. Drink driving is one alcohol-related problem that has gained much attention over recent years. The magnitude of the drink driving problem is often shown using crash data. Approximately one-third of all fatal road crashes, where the driver had been tested for alcohol, were associated with blood alcohol concentrations above the legal limit.

Summary

Drink driving remains a major health and economic problem for industrialised countries. Interventions and strategies developed for rehabilitation of drink drivers need to target the specific needs of this subgroup within the population.

Summary

The Federal Office of Road Safety has designed an education resource aimed at senior secondary students alerting them to the dangers faced by young drivers early in their driving careers. The kit, consisting of two videos, road safety pamphlets and teacher's notes is distributed free of charge on request. This evaluation of the kit was designed to examine the effectiveness of the materials in conveying the messages included and to suggest any possible improvements/changes to the materials.

Summary

In June 1990, the fifth in a series of national surveys on community attitudes to road safety was conducted. This report contains results from Wave 5 and, where possible, comparative results since 1986. Issues covered in the survey include causes of road crashes, perceptions of police enforcement of road rules, attitudes to drink driving and random breath testing, driving behaviour, seat belt use and views held regarding various road user groups.

Summary

This report compares the speeds of cars and articulated trucks before and after the change in heavy vehicle speed limit to 100 km/h on 1 July 1988. Comparable data before and after this time were collected at 62 sites in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. Faster articulated truck and car speeds were recorded at most (four fifths) of the sites after the speed limit change compared with before the change.

Summary

This study was commissioned by the New South Wales Road Safety Bureau and the Federal Office of Road Safety to examine the causes of crashes involving heavy vehicles in New South Wales, Australia in 1988 and 1989 and to suggest countermeasures. The study included a retrospective examination of 83 fatal crashes involving heavy vehicles on two New South Wales highways, an analysis of mass data on heavy vehicle crashes in the State from 1982 to 1988, and an analysis of traffic, freight movement and environmental factors.

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Summary

A study of the dissemination and implementation of road safety education materials and practices, and the identification of exemplary practices in both primary and secondary schools throughout Australia. The major materials were collected, collated and analysed. Recommendations for future development and implementation of road safety materials are suggested. The report is in two volumes.

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