ROAD SAFETY PRIORITIES AUSTRALIAN AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION ELECTION 2016
CONTENTS A CONTINUING TRAGEDY ON OUR ROADS 3 ROAD SAFETY IMPORTANT FOR THE ECONOMY AND THE COMMUNITY 4 SAFER ROADS A LONG-TERM AND WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT 5 AUSTRALIAN ROAD ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FINDINGS 6 ABOUT AUSRAP 7 BETTER ROAD FUNDING MODELS FOR BETTER ROAD SAFETY 8 BLACK SPOT PROJECTS 9 CASE STUDIES 9 1 Western Freeway, Deer Park Bypass, Victoria 9 2 Bruce Highway, Cooroy to Curra, Queensland 10 INVESTING IN SAFER DRIVERS 11 keys2drive 11 ENSURING VEHICLES ARE SAFER 12 POLICIES THAT MAKE NEW, SAFE CARS AFFORDABLE 12 SAFER CARS THROUGH SAFETY TESTING SUPPORTING ANCAP 13 SAVING LIVES WITH BETTER INFORMATION 14 ENDNOTES 15 ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) is the peak organisation for Australia s motoring clubs and their eight million members. The AAA advances the interests of all road users across Australia to ensure that land transport networks are safe, sustainable and affordable and meet the needs of Australian families, commuters, and businesses. 2
A CONTINUING TRAGEDY ON OUR ROADS In 2010 all Australian Governments signed up to the National Road Safety Strategy 2011 2020 (NRSS). This is Australia s blueprint to reduce both injuries and deaths on Australian roads by 30 per cent by 2020. However, all recent indications are that Australia is going the wrong way on road safety. In the year to March 2016, there were 1,255 fatalities on Australian roads, an increase from 1,129 a year earlier. This comes on the back of data showing that in 2015 there were 1,209 fatalities on Australian roads, an increase from 1,153 in 2014. Michael Bradley Chief Executive Australian Automobile Association These two sets of data indicate the stated goal of the NRSS is slipping out of reach and the number of Australians needlessly dying on our roads is increasing. Additionally, somewhere in the order of 30,000 people are severely injured on our roads each year. The economic cost of road trauma is estimated to be around $27 billion annually, however one of the key challenges we face as a nation is that because there is no national data set tracking road trauma, its magnitude is not clear. But even on these figures what is clear is that road trauma and death is a massive and ongoing national tragedy for the individuals affected, for our community and for our economy. As a nation, through the leadership of our national government, we must each take responsibility for making our roads safer. This relies on the behaviour of individuals when behind the wheel. It relies on manufacturers continuing to improve the safety features of vehicles they bring to the Australian market. It also relies on our governments making the necessary investments in our roads and other transport systems, in helping Australians become safer drivers, in better information about the performance of our roads, and in providing the regulatory environment that will enable more Australians to access safer vehicles sooner. The AAA will continue to conduct research to produce policy options and advice to the Australian Government on how we can work together to keep Australians safer on our roads. ROAD SAFETY PRIORITIES 3
ROAD SAFETY IMPORTANT FOR THE ECONOMY AND THE COMMUNITY With 30,000 injured each year, around 1,200 killed and an economic cost in the order of $27 billion per year, the incidence of death and injury on our roads would be considered completely unacceptable in every other facet of Australian life. It is a cost too high for the economy or the community to bear, and it requires decisive action to be taken which is commensurate with the economic and human cost. This is especially important given that road trauma has a ripple effect, not just impacting those involved, but also their families and friends, their employers or employees, our health system, those who work in it and those awaiting treatment due to the stretching of resources, in part contributed to by road trauma. As the continued carnage on Australia s roads touches every part of Australian life, government action is critical, urgent and must focus on four key areas: safer roads safer vehicles safer drivers continued evaluation of the system and how it is performing The AAA calls on the Australian Government to develop a comprehensive road safety program that responds to each of these focus areas. 4
SAFER ROADS A LONG-TERM AND WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT Well-designed and maintained roads minimise the chances of a crash happening, and where they do occur, these roads minimise the severity of a crash. A safe road system can be an important factor in minimising the risks posed by human error. Simple, cost effective safety measures such as roadside barriers, shoulder rumble strips, traffic separation and increasingly, intelligent transport systems often have long useful lifespans, preventing deaths and injuries for decades for a modest upfront investment. The durability of road upgrades and other safety measures makes them an effective investment for governments. ROAD SAFETY PRIORITIES 5
SAFER ROADS A LONG-TERM AND WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT AUSTRALIAN ROAD ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FINDINGS The AAA and its member clubs through the Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP), has examined the safety of more than 20,000 kilometres of national highway with a speed limit of 90 kilometres per hour or more. In 2013 AusRAP Star Rating found that nearly 40 per cent of the highways recorded an inadequate safety rating of only 1 or 2 stars, while the proportion of 5-star roads was negligible. This analysis showed that a national investment of $4.7 billion would save 36,000 lives and serious injuries on our highways over a 20-year period. $4.7 billion represents a relatively modest investment that would effectively return $16.4 billion 1 in terms of crash prevention and reduced social and economic costs of associated road trauma. The life-saving impact of road investments is further demonstrated by AusRAP risk mapping conducted in 2016, analysing crashes from 2010 14. 2 In 2016, 1,720km (8 per cent) of the national road network analysed was identified as worst links. These carry 14 per cent of the total traffic on the network analysed and account for 28 per cent, or 4,421 of the casualty crashes, and 18 per cent, or 167 of the fatalities over the period 2010 14. In contrast, 36 per cent of the network (7,500km) is identified as best links. These carry 12 per cent of the traffic and recorded 8 per cent, or 1,204 of the casualty crashes, and 12 per cent, or 111 of the fatalities in the period 2010 14. The key to safer roads is funding, but historically this essential area of public investment has lacked transparency, and consistency. This has made it difficult for policy makers and planners at all levels to properly plan and build road and complementary land transport projects, such as public transport, that deliver economic and safety benefits. Objective, risk-based safety assessments, such as those used in AusRAP analyses need to be an integral part of the process to identify and prioritise roads in need of investment and upgrade. If Australia is to meet its target of reducing road deaths and trauma by 30 per cent by 2020, reform of transport funding must begin now. 6
SAFER ROADS A LONG-TERM AND WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT ABOUT AUSRAP Conducted by the AAA in collaboration with its member clubs, AusRAP has examined more than 20,000 kilometres of national highway with a speed limit of 90 kilometres per hour or above. AusRAP uses two complementary methods or protocols for assessing the safety of roads: Star Rating and Risk Mapping. Star Ratings measure the inherent safety of a road s infrastructure and are awarded based on the road s level of safety. Sections of road are rated on a scale of 1 to 5-stars, with 1-star being the least safe and 5-star being the safest. Safe roads with design elements to reduce crash risk such as dual lane divided carriageways, good line marking and wide lanes have a higher star rating. Lower-rated roads are likely to have single-lanes and be undivided with poor line marking and hazards such as trees, poles and steep embankments close to the edge of the road. Risk Mapping is a measure of the real-life performance of a road network because it is based on crashes which have actually occurred. These crashes are a result of factors related to driver behaviour, the vehicle and the safety of the road infrastructure. ROAD SAFETY PRIORITIES 7
SAFER ROADS A LONG-TERM AND WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT BETTER ROAD FUNDING MODELS FOR BETTER ROAD SAFETY The AAA believes a two stage approach is required which will first secure a dedicated and stable source of revenue to be directed to land transport projects and second, to examine, develop and implement options for broader land transport market reform. This needs to be done in such a way that would enable motorists to understand what they currently pay in Australian Government transport related taxes, the return they receive on these taxes, and how this would compare to any proposed models. On this basis the AAA calls for the next Australian Government to: set up a transport infrastructure fund, with a guaranteed minimum of at least 50 per cent of net fuel excise paid into the fund to be spent on land transport infrastructure. This policy is supported by around 90 per cent of Australians surveyed by the AAA. The establishment of such as fund is also supported by analysis conducted by ACIL Allen. 3 implement Infrastructure Australia s recommendation for a public inquiry into transport market reform and how we move in the long term to a system that replaces current taxes with a fairer road user pricing mechanism. Led by a body such as the Productivity Commission or Infrastructure Australia, this inquiry is the critical next step in developing a funding model capable of building the transport system Australia needs for the 21st century. Specifically linked to road funding in the wake of road crash statistics and AusRAP analysis, the AAA calls for the next Australian Government to: make road safety a priority when allocating funds for road projects. The AAA through AusRAP has found that an investment of $4.7 billion would bring 85 per cent of the national highway network to a standard of 3 star or above and save 36,000 lives and serious injuries over a 20-year period. This investment would return $3.50 for every dollar spent. show leadership to encourage state and territory governments to work together to deliver the road safety outcomes targeted in the NRSS. 8
SAFER ROADS A LONG-TERM AND WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT BLACK SPOT PROJECTS The AAA advocated as part of its pre-budget submission for an increase in funding for the Black Spot program to $100 million per year. Whilst the $100 million for 2016 17 is welcome, the AAA will continue to advocate for continued and increased funding for this program. The AAA also supports the amended eligibility criteria that allow consultative panels to allocate up to 40 per cent of funding to sites on the basis of a road safety audit. The AAA recommends that road safety audits take into account research using proven risk assessment methods such as AusRAP in order to effectively prioritise projects requiring road safety investment. CASE STUDIES The following case studies demonstrate how AusRAP analysis has been coupled with targeted infrastructure investment to make Australian roads substantially safer. Western Freeway, Deer Park Bypass, Victori a a 65 per cent reduction in crashes The 2011 AusRAP Risk Mapping report analysed crash data from 2005 09, identifying the Western Highway from the Western Ring Rd to Melton as one of Victoria s worst links recording 238 crashes and five fatalities over the five-year period. This link has been upgraded, with the Deer Park bypass opening in April 2009, giving drivers a freeway standard road instead of the old highway which went through Deer Park. The $331 million bypass avoids 20 intersections and six sets of traffic lights between Sunshine and Caroline Springs. The upgraded Western Freeway (Deer Park Bypass) is now a much safer road, recording 82 crashes and three fatalities in the five-year period from 2010 14. This is a 65 per cent crash reduction for the 35,000 vehicles that travel this route each day. This road was Star Rated by AusRAP in 2013, with 60 per cent of the length rated as 3-star and 40 per cent rated as 4-star. The Deer Park Bypass was jointly funded with the Australian Government contributing $265 million and the Victorian Government contributing $66 million. ROAD SAFETY PRIORITIES 9
SAFER ROADS A LONG-TERM AND WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT CASE STUDY Bruce Highway, Cooroy to Curra, Queensland a 50 per cent crash reduction In the 2011 AusRAP Risk Mapping report which analysed crash data from 2005 09, a 40 kilometre section of the Bruce Highway from Cooroy to Gympie was identified as one of Queensland s worst links recording 155 casualty crashes and 24 fatalities over the five-year period. This link was upgraded with a new 12 kilometre section of road comprising a four-lane divided highway between Sankeys Road and Traveston Road on the Bruce Highway between Cooroy and Curra. The $513 million new road improves access during major flooding as well as providing improved traffic efficiency and major safety enhancements. The upgraded road has recorded 33 casualty crashes and five fatalities in the two-year period since the new section opened from 2013 14. The crash data for this two-year period suggest that crashes have reduced by approximately 50 per cent for the 16,000 vehicles that travel this route each day. The Star Rating of the new section of road has been assessed as 80 per cent 4-star, with the remaining 20 per cent of the length scoring a maximum 5-stars for safety. This is in comparison to the Old Bruce Highway which was predominantly a 2-star rated road at this location. The Cooroy to Curra upgrade was jointly funded with the Australian Government contributing $388 million and the Queensland Government contributing $125 million. 10
INVESTING IN SAFER DRIVERS While road conditions are clearly a major factor in road crashes, injuries and fatalities, there is much that can be done in terms of driver behaviour and driver training to help make our roads safer. keys2drive Young drivers are a particularly high risk group so it is vital to provide learner drivers with the training they need to be safer drivers throughout their driving careers. Since 2008 the Australian Government has funded the keys2drive program, which has helped make young Australian drivers safer by delivering training with an accredited driving instructor to more than 200,000 young people and their supervising driver, usually a parent or other family member. keys2drive not only teaches young drivers good habits, but also helps to make their mum or dad, or whoever their supervisor is, a better driving teacher. The AAA has consistently advocated strongly for the continuation of funding for the keys2drive program. The AAA calls on the next Australian Government: to commit to funding the keys2drive program beyond 2017 18. The AAA welcomes the one-year extension of the program and looks forward to working closely with the government to further strengthen the program ahead of the 2017 18 Budget deliberations. Due to the need to maintain a national panel of 1,100 accredited driving instructors it is critical that this program has long-term certainty in funding. ROAD SAFETY PRIORITIES 11
ENSURING VEHICLES ARE SAFER Another important step in reducing road trauma and death is removing barriers that prevent Australians accessing modern vehicles which include the latest safety features. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average age of the Australian vehicle fleet is 10.1 years. 4 This means too many Australians find themselves driving cars that are more than 10 years old, and which therefore lack the latest safety features that are standard in newer vehicles. There are a number of investments and regulatory settings the Australian Government can implement to help ensure Australians access newer, safer vehicles more quickly. POLICIES THAT MAKE NEW, SAFE CARS AFFORDABLE Importantly Australian Governments must pursue policies that increase competition and place downward pressure on vehicle prices. The AAA calls for the next Australian Government to: remove import taxes abolish the 5 per cent tariff on imported vehicles saving consumers $2.7 billion over the forward estimates and the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) with savings to consumers totalling $2.4 billion over the forward estimates. continue with work already commenced to amend the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 (MVSA) and associated legislation to allow Australians to directly import new cars from countries with similar vehicle design, pollution and safety standards as Australia. 12
ENSURING VEHICLES ARE SAFER SAFER CARS THROUGH SAFETY TESTING SUPPORTING ANCAP It is vital Australians have access to easily understandable, independently sourced information on the safety aspects of vehicles. This is important in helping Australians make informed choices when purchasing a car. The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) conducts independent crash tests and vehicle safety assessments and publishes results as Safety Star Ratings to guide consumers in the selection of safer vehicles. Safer vehicles can reduce the likelihood of a crash through collision avoidance technology, as well as reducing the likelihood of injury in the event of a crash. The Australian Government agreed to provide $2.2 million to continue support ANCAP over the next two years. The AAA welcomes this commitment and calls for the next Australian Government to: commit the long-term funding required to facilitate the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) transition to Euro NCAP alignment. ROAD SAFETY PRIORITIES 13
SAVING LIVES WITH BETTER INFORMATION In the year to March 2016, there were 1,255 fatalities on Australian roads, an increase from 1,129 a year earlier. In calendar year 2015 there were 1,209 fatalities on Australian roads, an increase from 1,153 in 2014. Whilst Australia has relatively robust data on road related deaths, there is no clear picture on the number or severity of road injuries. This not only means that we cannot fully understand the social and economic impacts, but also that we are less able to target resources to road enhancements and transport alternatives, such as public transport, that could help prevent more Australians being seriously injured on our roads. But we know the problem is significant enough to warrant urgent action. In 2011, the National Road Safety Strategy estimated that around 32,500 Australians were seriously injured each year in road crashes and that this costs our economy about $27 billion annually. But the truth is without a continuing national data set, we just can t know. In May 2016, the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee s report into Aspects of Road Safety in Australia recommended the Government to provide the $150,000 per annum needed to keep the Australian Trauma Registry operational. This is a position long advocated by the AAA and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. The AAA calls for the next Australian Government to: provide $150,000 per year to enable the Australian Trauma Registry to be used to develop better information on serious injuries due to road crashes and guide research on road safety. 14
ENDNOTES 1. www.aaa.asn.au/storage/ausrap-star-rating-report.original(2).pdf 2. A full report detailing the analysis and findings of the AusRAP Risk Mapping will be published later in 2016. 3. www.aaa.asn.au/storage/1-acil-allen-transport-funding-analysis.pdf 4. www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/9309.0 ROAD SAFETY PRIORITIES 15
GPO Box 1555 103 Northbourne Avenue Canberra Australian Capital Territory 2601 t 02 6247 7311 f 02 6257 5320 e aaa@aaa.asn.au w aaa.asn.au AUTHORISED BY M.BRADLEY, AUSTRALIAN AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION, 103 NORTHBOURNE AVE CANBERRA ACT 2601