Welcome to the latest newsletter from the National Road Safety Partnership Program (NRSPP). NRSPP is a government-supported, industry-led collaborative network which aims to support Australian businesses and organisations to develop a positive road safety culture and help protect their workers and the public, not only during work hours but also when staff are ‘off-duty’.
This edition will cover:
• NRSPP ACHIEVEMENTS
• NRSPP NEWS
• NRSPP MONTHLY FOCUS
• NRSPP BLOG
• NRSPP RESOURCES
• EVENTS
• USEFUL WEBPAGES
NRSPP Achievements
NRSPP has joined with Budget Direct to feature their recent January survey of 1000 adult Australian drivers and their attitudes to texting whilst driving.
NRSPP is in the final stages of settling the contracts for its new home which will be with Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC). Once these are signed a formal announcement will be made. The transition represents far great opportunity as NRSPP will have access to and support of Australia’s largest university, renowned for its outstanding teaching, transformative research, international reach and extensive alumni network (now extending to more than 300,000 members around the world).
The Austroads Suicide in Road Transport (SiRT) has formally commenced work with the contracts currently being signed and will be delivered by NRSPP through MUARC.
NRSPP’s 19th Tool Box Talk is now live: Driving in Poor Visibility Tool Box Talk
NRSPP News
International Road Safety Behaviour Change Program Comes To The UK
An international road safety program, proven to increase awareness and influence the behaviour of young people on our roasd, is being launched in London on Tuseday (February 11).
Mobile Phone Detection Cameras In NSW: Everything You Need To Know
NSW drivers who threaten lives by using mobile phones behind the wheel risk being caught by unmarked cameras as new technology rolls out across the state.
Heavier Penalty For Queensland Motorists Who Use Their Mobile Phone Illegally While Driving
The Queensland Government has increased the penalty for using a mobile phone illegally while driving to a $1,000 fine and four demerit points.
11th Managing Fatigue Conference 2020
The 11th International Conference in Managing Fatigue will be taking place on the 16th-19th of March.
Safety ‘enablers’ to help drive down road trauma
Twenty projects aimed at reducing road trauma in Australia will benefit from funding under the Australian Government’s Road Safety Awareness and Enablers Fund.
“It Won’t Happen To Me” – How Optimism Bias Impacts Safety
With optimism bias, we recognise the hazard, but we believe the chance of that hazard materialising is higher for other people than for ourselves. Inherent in this thinking is the belief that we are naturally more skilful, more careful, and cleverer than others.
Safe On Our Roads? Teens And Risky Driving
A national study of young Australian drivers aged 16-17 has found that 8 in 10 P-platers and more than half of learner drivers had engaged in some form of risky driving during their ten most recent driving trips.
NRSPP Welcomes Catholic Church Insurance (CCI) As A Program Partner
NRSPP would like to warmly welcome Catholic Church Insurance (CCI) as the latest Program Partner and looks forward to working with them in the future.
NRSPP Monthly Focus
When people hear the term “driver distraction” the common thought is this is referring to younger driver’s using their mobile phones and texting. However, when recent research conducted by Budget Direct asked 1000 Australian adults about their attitudes and behaviours when it comes to using a mobile phone while driving, they found these key themes:
- Younger motorists are less confident using a phone while driving than they were two years ago
- Checking the phone while stopped at a traffic light and changing the song on a playlist are the most common ways phones are used
- Texting while driving is considered more likely to cause a fatality than drink driving.
When the research was shared with MUARC, Kristie Young noted, “While the absolute numbers are low, the finding that the 35-44 year age group is engaging with handheld devices (particularly texting and accessing social media) more frequently than other age groups, is really interesting and highlights that there is a shift in technology use across driver ages – this is not just a ‘young driver problem’ as it has traditionally been viewed in the past.”
So for organisations with a mobile workforce, they should be engaging all of their workers around the risk of driver distraction in the broader sense but at a minimum in relation to mobile phone use. Driver distraction is not the domain of just mobile phones or younger drivers but all drivers and road users. There is an opportunity for organisations to take a leadership role and share the responsibility for road safety by engaging all workers on the topic of distraction.
NRSPP Blog
Is it okay to speed through a school zone?
I hope the answer that springs to mind immediately is – HELL NO!!!
When you hear the term “school zone” you immediately know it’s zoned 40kmh because it is a high-risk area of the road. The simple reason is children congregate here, and children are our most vulnerable and ignorant road users.
As a result, traffic is slowed so that when a child is not paying attention or does something unexpected, like chase a ball across the road, you as the driver have more time to react. A vehicle travelling at 40kmh still takes takes 26m to stop, and should you hit a pedestrian the chance of a fatality is 30%. However, the 40kmh speed limit provides plenty of time for an alert driver to react.
The key point here is an alert driver.
A recent survey of 1000 Australian adult drivers discovered an alarming attitude towards texting on a handheld device. Nearly 40% of drivers said it’s acceptable to respond to a text while driving at 40kmh. By comparison, only 13% said it was acceptable to check the phone while stopped, and changing the song of a playlist was only okay with 10% (thankfully just over 38% viewed any of these behaviours as unacceptable).
This data also indicates some road users won’t respond to texts at high speeds, but the same practice becomes acceptable at a lower speed.
Is this because the risk of harm is now lower? To read the rest of the BLOG and we invite your provide your comments please go to NRSPP BLOG
NRSPP Resources
NRSPP Quick Fact: 40km/h zones – Why do they exist?
Often we see a speed limit sign in certain areas like schools and road works to drive at 40km/h where there are important factors to consider such as road works and the safety of vulnerable road users. Why do 40km/h zones exist, and why is it important to drive safely in these high-risk areas?
How To Turn On Do Not Disturb While Driving
Setting up Do Not Disturb is an easy way to minimise distractions while you’re driving. By activating the ‘Do Not Disturb While Driving’ feature on your phone, you’ll be less distracted and lower the risk of a heavy fine or car accident.
Webinar: Talking Mobile Phone Use In Vehicles With Nestlé
When Nestlé in Australia took the bold step to stop mobile phone use while driving, to address driver distraction, it expected some resistance. It got the opposite, receiving virtually unanimous support across all levels of the organisation and employees who drive for work feeling the company values their safety.
Driving For Work: Mobile Phones
A short guide explaining how to prevent inappropriate mobile phone use on the road by employees.
NRSPP Quick Fact: Driver Distraction
This quick fact sheet looks at the impact of Driver Distraction. It highlights some key statistics.
Mobile Phone Distraction In Vehicles – It Doesn’t Add Up! (Poster Series)
Mobile Phone Distraction in Vehicles can lead to crashes. The Safer Use of Mobiles in Vehicles (SUMV) Working Group have developed a series of posters based on road risks and mobile phone use not adding up when driving a vehicle.
NRSPP Guide: Developing An Effective Policy For Mobile Phone Use In Vehicles
The National Road Safety Partnership Program (NRSPP) has developed the Guide to Developing an Effective Mobile Phone Policy to assist organisations in developing and implementing their own policies for safer use of mobiles in vehicles.
Webinar: Driver Interactions With Mobile Phones – Driving Performance And Safety Implications
The aim of this webinar is to provide listeners with an understanding of the basic mechanisms of driver distraction, and the types of decrements in driving performance and safety risk associated with a range of driver interactions with mobile phones.
Bus Driver Hits Truck While Texting
Only a few seconds distraction, wasn’t it? Well, looking at your phone for just 5 seconds when you are travelling 55 MPH is the equivalent of driving the length of a whole football pitch without looking at the road.
Risk Factors In Work Zone Safety Events: A Naturalistic Driving Study Analysis
Drivers not paying attention — such as answering a phone call, a text message, or being distracted by a passenger — for any length of time are 29 times more likely to be involved in a collision or near-collision in a highway work zone, according to new research by the University of Missouri (MU).
New Safety Guidance Launched For Gig Economy Couriers
RoSPA has launched new guidance aimed at helping self-employed gig economy workers, such as couriers and taxi drivers, stay safe on the road.
Events
Technology and fleet safety roundtable event
February 20, 2020
Do you use, or are you looking to use, in-vehicle technology in your vehicle fleet? If so please join us for a discussion about in-vehicle technology and some of the benefits and challenges using this technology presents, along with future developments in this space.
Victoria Transport Infrastructure Summit
February 24-25, 2020
The 2nd annual Victoria Transport Infrastructure Summit brings together government, industry and community to explore best practices and opportunities for the implementation Victoria’s $70 billion of transport projects being delivered.
Injury Management Summit: Toward 2030
February 26-27, 2020
In February 2020, we come together as Injury Management Professionals from across Australia, to participate in the Toward 2030 Injury Management Summit. This unique event offers tailored sessions including engaging expert presenters, interactive workshops, panels, round table discussions, networking opportunities and, of course, our Welcome Dinner.
Road Safety Symposium
March 13, 2020
This one day symposium focuses on evidence-based road safety policies and implementation, with leading international and Australian road safety experts highlighting how we are tracking and what we need to do to achieve our road safety targets.
11th International Conference On Managing Fatigue
March 16-19, 2020
This biennial conference began in Fremantle, Western Australia, in 1992 and has since alternated between Fremantle and various locations in the USA. While the main emphasis of the meeting has always been on fatigue in transportation, sessions are also devoted to other domains with significant fatigue risk, such as resources and health.
CILT-International Conference Perth 2020
October 18-21, 2020
For only the second time in 85 years the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Australia (CILTA) has been awarded the CILT-International Conference. Nearly three dozen nations will descend on Perth from the 18th to 21st of October at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Conference venue.
