Road Safety Committee to consider road trauma in the workplace and post-crash response

THE Joint Select Committee on Road Safety will hold further public hearings for its Inquiry into Road Safety on October 6 and 7.

The hearing on October 6 will be an opportunity for the committee to hear from industry participants, regulators, and peak bodies about road safety in the workplace, with a focus on the heavy vehicle and freight sector, and the gig economy.

 

Committee Chair, Darren Chester MP, said, "Vehicle use is by far the most significant contributor to work-related trauma. Over 60 percent of worker traumatic injury fatalities involve a vehicle.

"With the expanding gig economy, we are likely to see increases in deaths and serious injuries on our roads unless measures are taken to enhance workplace road safety. Also critical to reducing road trauma is understanding the causes of heavy vehicle crashes, and designing measures to enable heavy vehicles to share our roads safely with other road users.

"Accordingly, the hearing will be an opportunity for the committee to hear about issues facing Australians who use the road as a workplace and measures that may be taken in this area to improve road safety outcomes."

The hearing on October 7 will be an opportunity for the committee to hear from research institutions, as well as peak bodies in the medical and law enforcement sectors, about impacts of road trauma on first responders and medical professionals and measures that can be taken to enhance post-crash response.

Mr Chester said, "In addition to the long-lasting impacts on victims, families and communities, road trauma has a hugely significant impact on first responders, emergency services personnel and medical staff. Post-crash care — including emergency treatment, trauma care and rehabilitation — is also a key pillar of the Safe System approach and is critical to achieving our ambitious 'Vision Zero' targets.

"Accordingly, the hearing will be an opportunity for the committee to gather valuable evidence in relation to the impacts of road trauma on first responders and the medical sector, and the measures that can be taken to reduce the impacts of road trauma through enhanced post-crash care."

Public hearing details

Date:               Wednesday, 6 October 2021
Time:              9.30am to 4.15pm

Witnesses:     

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator
Uber
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport
Deliveroo
Australian Trucking Association
National Road Transport Association
Toll Group
Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP)

Date:               Thursday, 7 October 2021
Time:              9.30am to 3.15pm

Witnesses:     

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Australasian Trauma Society
Injury Matters
Australian Road Research Board
Police Federation of Australia
Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland

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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