Road Safety Committee to consider critical components of the road safety environment

THE Joint Select Committee on Road Safety will hold further public hearings for its Inquiry into Road Safety on September 29 and 30, 2021.

The hearing on September 29, 2021 will be an opportunity for the committee to hear from driver education programs, allied health professionals, academics and legal organisations about the ‘human’ factors which contribute to road trauma and measures that may be taken in this space to improve road safety outcomes.

Committee chair, Darren Chester MP, said, "The majority of fatalities and serious injuries on our roads result from human error. Indeed, the 'fatal five'—speeding, distraction, fatigue, drug and alcohol impairment, and failure to wear a seatbelt — are all consequences of actions taken by drivers.

"The committee strongly favours a holistic approach to road safety, including ongoing investment in better, safer roads, and considers human factors to be a critical component of the road safety environment. Accordingly, the hearing will be an opportunity for the committee to gather valuable evidence on how human error contributes to road trauma, and measures that can be taken to reduce error and enhance safety on Australian roads."

The hearing on September 30 will be an opportunity for the committee to hear from peak bodies, research organisations and safety authorities about the measures which Australia can take to reduce road trauma via safer vehicles and improvements to the nation’s infrastructure.

Mr Chester said "Ensuring vehicles on Australian roads are as safe as possible — including by encouraging the uptake of proven safety technology — is crucial to addressing road trauma. Equally important is maintaining the quality and currency of road infrastructure and ensuring new and upgraded infrastructure fully considers the safety of road users.

"Accordingly, the hearing will be an opportunity for the committee to hear about measures to ensure the safety of vehicles on our roads, and the infrastructure that is needed to reduce road trauma and ensure Australia is prepared for future vehicle technologies."

Public hearing details

Date:               Wednesday, 29 September 2021
Time:              9.30am to 4.15pm

Witnesses:  Occupational Therapy Australia, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, Road Safety Education Limited, BRAKE, National Road Safety Partnership Program, Road Safety Matters, Engineers Australia.

Date:               Thursday, 30 September 2021
Time:              9.30am to 5pm

Witnesses:  Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia, Dr Richard Tooth, Roads Australia, Australian Automobile Association, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia, Australian Road Safety Foundation, 3M, Electric Vehicle Council. 

Due to health and safety concerns relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, hearings will be held remotely via videoconference and will not be open for public attendance. However, interested members of the public will be able to view proceedings via the live webcast at aph.gov.au/live.

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