Over the summer holiday period we were shocked at the magnitude of the road toll. There was much public debate about the safety of our roads and I think it is important that NRMA’s position on two issues is made clear.
Following the horrific crash on the Princes Highway involving a fuel tanker there were calls for dangerous goods to be removed from roads.
NRMA raised its concerns last year when Caltex announced it would take more fuel off rail and transport it on our roads. We lobbied to have the decision overturned because the last thing we wanted was more heavy vehicles transporting petrol on unsuitable roads.
There were also calls from some sections of the community for laws to be introduced that would ban the transport of all dangerous goods by road.
NRMA wants companies that transport dangerous goods to do the right thing by the community and use rail wherever possible.
When it comes to the safety of all users of our roads there is more at stake than only reducing transport costs.
There has also been much debate around the introduction of mobile speed cameras in NSW, similar to those used in Queensland and Victoria. There were some media suggestions that NRMA is opposed to the idea. This is not the case.
We will look at any new idea that is designed to reduce the road toll. We will now
be speaking to the government about what plans they have for these cameras.
In particular, we will be working hard to ensure the cameras are used in areas with known speed-related crash history and that revenue raised from the cameras will be directed towards putting more visible police highway patrols on our roads.
Our Members tell us that a visible police presence is the most effective way to change bad driver behaviour.
Finally, at last year’s Annual General Meeting, NRMA Group CEO Tony Stuart announced to Members that the company would provide a half-yearly report on our website about key measures such as financial performance, Membership services and NRMA’s progress on the advocacy front.
Our first half-yearly report is now available to Members, and shows that the NRMA Group is performing strongly in the six months to December 31, 2009.
Images of tragic car crashes on our roads appeared on the news almost nightly over the holiday period.
The number of deaths on our roads in 2009 was simply too high – much higher than what we could have expected at the start of the year.
When NRMA was formed in 1920, its sole agenda was to lobby for better roads. Ninety years on and the challenge remains.
We need to take a fresh approach to reducing the road toll. Yet again, NRMA will have to play a key role because too many Members and their families are losing their lives on unsafe roads.
Ten years ago, state and federal roads ministers agreed that upgraded roads would reduce fatalities by 40 per cent.
In our budget submissions to the NSW, ACT and Australian governments last year we called for more of the $15 billion fuel excise to be spent on roads. We will renew those calls this year.
We know that a divided dual carriageway can reduce the number of head-on collisions by 90 per cent. Imagine the positive impact this would have on the road toll.
Our Members have told us that the most effective way to change bad driver behaviour is to appoint more visible highway patrols. We know that as motorists see more highway patrols on the road they are less inclined to adopt dangerous driving habits because you never know if a patrol is waiting around the corner.
We need the police to be watching constantly for drunk, erratic, fatigued driving and people driving without seat belts.
NRMA will continue to remind Members and the public about the importance of driving safely. Over Christmas we ran a campaign with the NSW Police about the dangers of using your mobile phone while driving.We will continue to work with the police and RTA to help achieve a lasting reduction in the number of people losing their lives on our roads.
Wendy Machin President
