City of Kalamunda, WA
Road Safety Awareness
Image
The Project
The City of Kalamunda experienced 882 crashes in the five years ending December 2018 (for local roads only). This included 13 fatalities and 163 serious injuries. Typical traffic data across the City area shows around 30% of drivers drive over the speed limit, and the City receives many complaints of hooning and other road safety concerns.
The City has recently appointed a Senior Traffic Engineer to assist in resolving these concerns, and has commenced working with the WALGA Roadwise program. The fund targets innovative projects addressing priority areas which include improving road safety in regional and remote areas, reducing driver distraction and drug driving, improving safety for vulnerable road users and supporting road safety research and initiatives specific to the Australian context.
As a result of receiving this funding the City launched the Road Safety Awareness project to spearhead community engagement. This education and awareness program will address the principles of Safe Road Use and Safe Speeds, and data collected will be used to inform future infrastructure for Safe Roads and Roadsides. The project focuses on road safety for drivers and road users, with aim to inform and guide change in driver behaviours, to ultimately reduce the number and severity of crashes in the City.
The objectives of the program are to inform road users and challenge values, with a strong emphasis on individual driver behaviour and responsibility, and the ability of the individual to change habits. Content was created to meet these objectives including:
- Survey(s)
- Social media still imagery, video, stories, polls: paid and organic
- Pop up booth face to face engagement
- Dot democracy engagement
- City-wide school based poster competition, complete with public exhibition and voting process
- Public art exhibitions
- Bumper sticker distribution
- Website latest news and updates
- SDERA games pop-up engagement
Community outcomes will be measured via sentiment gathers via digital media and surveys, as well as study of road use behaviour via City Traffic Engineer team.