Aim to reduce fatal and injury crashes

A road safety strategy that ultimately works towards zero fatalities and serious injuries on local roads has been adopted by Baw Baw Shire.

The Road Safety Strategy has a target to achieve a 30 per cent reduction in fatalities and serious injury crashes by 2022.

The strategy recommends council appoint a part time road safety officer, with the position potentially funded through available external funding sources. Other key recommendations include: Undertake a strategic risk rating/mapping of all council roads;

Investigate road safety risks raised by the community;

Continue to develop and deliver road safety infrastructure solutions and engage with state and federal government for external funding;

Prepare a formal speed management policy to pursue speed limit changes in collaboration with VicRoads;

Improve safety of on-road and off-road motorcycle riders; and,

Engage community and businesses to participate in road safety activities and projects through various educational programs.

Crash statistics showed Baw Baw Shire recorded 338 crashes between January 2012 and August 2017.

This was the highest of all Gippsland municipalities with 251 in Latrobe, 320 in East Gippsland, 193 in South Gippsland and 301 in Wellington.

Key findings derived from crash data analysis for the past 10 years across the shire revealed:

40 per cent of all crashes are fatal or serious injury crashes. A decreasing trend in total crashes. The highest numbers of crashes occur on weekends.

Road users aged 18 to 24 showed the highest involvement in fatal or serious injury crashes.

74 per cent of crashes occurred during day time and well-lit conditions.

The highest concentration of pedestrian crashes occurred in the Warragul and Drouin. Increasing trend in motorcycle crashes. Officers reported council was supportive of the state government’s Towards Zero campaign and also was working towards incorporating the “Safe System” approach promoting safer roads, safer people, safer speeds and safer vehicles.

Council received $25,000 Transport Accident Commission funding to prepare a road safety strategy.

Council engaged Safe Systems Solutions to assist in developing the strategy and an action plan to identify existing key road safety issues.

Extensive consultation with community members and stakeholders was undertaken. More than 300 responses were received via online surveys and letters.

Of the 32 written submissions, 14 provided direct support, six raised specific traffics issues already being investigated and the remainder on maintenance, speed and education.

Cr Tricia Jones said the success of a strategy could often be measured by the submissions and responses received.

She said submissions ranged from comments about road safety near Chairo Christian School to over reflective road signage.

“Baw Baw Shire has the highest number of crashes when compared to other Gippsland shires.

“I am pleased to see employment of a dedicated road safety officer in the recommendation,” she said.

Cr Jones said another recommendation was to investigate road safety risks raised by the community, which there were many in submissions.

Cr Jessica O’Donnell said road safety was really serious.

She said statistics showed pedestrian incidents were quite high in the shire and this needed to be addressed.

Cr Darren Wallace said a wealth of information was presented in the report, which looked at road crash history over the past 10 years.

He said 44 separate locations had been identified and funded through the black spot program.

“This strategy will now be used to attract further funding. Without a strategy how do we know what to target next in road funding,” he said.

Cr Peter Kostos said some of the information in the strategy was quite disturbing, with 338 serious crashes over a five year period.

“I just hope people take note of the statistics, understand it and adjust their driving habits,” he said.

Cr Mikaela Power said the strategy would help to address some of the issues on the road network, as well as the behaviour of road users.

“We have to think about how we get along on the roads and be respectful to each other,” she said.