New enforcement measures focus on biggest killers

The new enforcement measures announced by the Government this week will save lives because they focus on speed and drink driving, the two biggest killers on our roads and the greatest concern to the travelling public.

Superintendent Steve Fitzgerald, the Police National Road Policing Manager restated that speeding and drink driving contribute to approximately 40 percent of all fatal crashes.

"If we are to get the road toll down and meet the Road Safety to 2010 goals of no more than 300 road deaths and 4,500 hospitalisations a year by 2010, we need to take new action."

"The combination of better roads, betters cars and improved medical resources are not enough." he said. "Our roads are unforgiving and many high speed crashes are just not survivable."

Anytime-anywhere speed cameras mean drivers will not be able to anticipate where cameras are located and this has a "halo effect" of slowing drivers down over their total journey, not just in the area where they believe the camera will be.

The benefits of this single initiative could save between 15 and 20 lives a year.

The cameras will continue to be deployed in areas where speed and risk are high.

Police will be meeting with LTSA as soon as possible to identify the best way to implement this new programme and to ensure that it is supported by a public information campaign.

The Commissioner of Police will be considering implementation options in the new year.

High levels of intoxication are killers and most ordinary drivers do not want to risk their lives by sharing the roads with drunk drivers.

Equally they do not want to share the roads with people whose driving is impaired by drugs. Police will be closely monitoring the soon-to-be-implemented Victoria drug-drive programme. In the meantime, Police are considering a range of options including staff training.

These new measures are aimed at the heart of our most serious road safety problems and while there is concern about other factors such as fatigue, tailgating, intersection safety and failing to keep left, all of these dangers are reduced by reduced speed and alcohol.

"With the exception of the anywhere-anytime cameras, most of the new enforcement measures announced this week will require legislation changes and will not come into force until later this year but until then, we will continue to put the pressure on those who do not drive within the law." he said.

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