In 2021, your organisation was part of a policy review conducted by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) that looked at ways of improving the safety of roadside workers.

The review considered the safety of two distinct groups of roadside workers;

(1) first responders and roadside assistance workers, and

(2) road workers and traffic controllers.

In this context, the suitability of existing regulation, driver education, road safety campaigns and engineering solutions was examined. As a result of this review, new ‘Move Over, Slow Down’ laws will commence on 16 September 2022 that aim to improve the safety of first responders and roadside assistance workers.

These laws will not apply to vehicles that work in planned temporary traffic management settings, for example roadworks, traffic control or planned construction. As part of the review, the suitability of existing temporary traffic management guidelines was considered in the context of roadworkers and traffic controllers. Feedback from stakeholders to the review was clear that the existing temporary traffic management approaches under the Austroads Guide to Temporary Traffic Management and the Queensland Guide to Temporary Traffic Management are appropriate in protecting these workers. These traffic management guides create a more planned and controlled work setting, with measures readily available to mitigate safety risks. Extending the move over slow down laws to these vehicles could create unintended safety outcomes by requiring drivers to comply with both these new laws and the temporary traffic management measures at the same time.

TMR also employ a range of other activities to improve the safety of road workers and traffic controllers, this includes various offences for non-compliance with roadwork signs, traffic controller directions and reduced speed limits, along with educational material on roadwork safety. For further information, you can visit: Roadwork safety | Transport and motoring | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au)

Please forward this information to your members or use the above information for your internal communications as necessary.

Kind Regards,

Daniel Kaden

A/Director | Licensing, Automated Vehicles and Registration

Land Transport Safety and Regulation Branch | Customer Services, Safety & Regulation

Department of Transport and Main Roads