New road safety strategy - arrive alive 2008 - 2017

06 Feb 2008

Media Release - 6 February 2008

The Premier John Brumby today unveiled a range of new road safety initiatives to drive down the road toll, including tougher drink driving laws, more driver education, passenger restrictions for P-plate drivers and mandatory car safety technology.

Mr Brumby said the new initiatives were the cornerstone of the Victorian Government’s arrive alive 2008-2017 road safety strategy which aimed to achieve a 30 per cent reduction in the road toll.

Launching the strategy today, Mr Brumby said the Victorian Government was committed to key road safety targets to be achieved by the end of 2017:

• A 30 per cent reduction in the road toll;
• A 30 per cent reduction in the number of serious injuries; and
• Reducing the severity of serious injuries

The new strategy follows on from the success of Victoria’s first arrive alive! which prevented around 580 deaths over the five years to 2007, compared to the road tolls of 1999 and 2001.

“Victoria has made great gains in road safety and is at the forefront of road safety innovation,” Mr Brumby said.

“Every family touched by tragedy on our roads is one family too many, so we must always strive for new and innovative ways to reduce the road toll.”

Mr Brumby said the new key road safety strategies in arrive alive 2008-2017 included:

• A tough new focus on drink driving with drivers who record a blood alcohol level of 0.10 immediately taken off the road, rather than waiting until they go to court;
• A new program to give drivers the chance to redeem demerit points by undertaking a comprehensive road safety program;
• Introducing a peer passenger restriction on first-year probationary drivers. From 1 July, P-platers will no longer be able to carry more than one peer passenger (aged between 16 and 21) for the first year of their licence at all hours;
• Mandating the instalment of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) in all new cars built after 31 December 2010 (in the absence of an equivalent national requirement);
• Mandating the instalment of head protection technology, such as side-curtain airbags in all new cars built after 31 December by 2011 (in the absence of an equivalent national requirement);
• Showing leadership by introducing ESC and head protection technology to the Government fleet over the next three years, thereby giving manufacturers an incentive to deploy ESC to all cars;
• More targeted roadside drug testing and the introduction of routine alcohol and drug testing of all drivers involved in serious crashes; and
• Increased funding to the Safer Roads Improvements Program, with $230 million over three years, which includes $16 million over two years for the greyspot program to upgrade locations identified as potential crash sites.

Mr Brumby said that the community had been talking about P-plate restrictions for some time and that the Government had listened to their concerns and acted.

“The Government has been persuaded by the proposal put forward by the RACV. The passenger restrictions will apply to first-year P-plate drivers and only to peer passengers aged between 16 and 21,” he said.

“Research has shown the fatal crash risk for P-plate drivers increases by four times when they carry two or more passengers.”

“The restrictions will not apply when drivers are using the car for essential activities and drivers can apply to VicRoads for exemptions for exceptional circumstances.

Mr Brumby said new car safety technology would drive the next phase of reducing fatalities.

“Victoria has a proud track record of leading the nation in road safety, with the introduction of seatbelts, the roll out of drink driving technology and random drug testing,” he said.

 “And we’re doing the same with this new life saving technology. From 2011 all new cars will have electronic stability control. From 2012 all new cars will have head technology.

“And I will write to all State and Territory Premiers and the Prime Minister, calling for a national mandate of this technology in the interest of saving lives.”

Minister for Roads and Ports, Tim Pallas said that the Government had undertaken extensive research and planning to develop its road safety strategy, consulting road safety experts and monitoring the success of strategies in other states.

“Due to planning and research, we have been able to improve safety on our transport system and become an internationally recognised leader in road safety,” Mr Pallas said. 

“In the past five years we’ve had the five lowest road tolls in our history, reducing fatalities by almost 20 per cent, and overseeing an 11 per cent reduction in people admitted to hospital for more than one day.”

Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Bob Cameron called on all Victorians to make safety the highest priority when on the roads.

“Victoria’s leadership has proved that a planned and targeted road safety strategy delivers results, but it is up to all of us to share the roads safely and responsibly,” Mr Cameron said.

“The Victorian Government makes no apologies for being tough on road safety.  But we also recognise that road safety is a shared community responsibility.

“I urge all Victorians to get behind the arrive alive 2008-2017 strategy and work together to reduce the senseless and unnecessary deaths and injuries on our roads.”