Road Safety Survey Results By Simon Ingleson

Road Safety Survey Results

Presented to Engineers Australia WA Division

By Simon Ingleson

Advertising Director

The Sunday Times

Background

• Few issues spark more community debate than road safety.

• As part of our road toll campaign ‘Under 199 in ’09’ we ran

WA’s biggest road safety survey.

• Results show level of concern our community shares at the growing road toll.

• Western Australians want our police and courts to get tougher

with rogue drivers.

Methodology

• In-paper survey appeared in The

Sunday Times and PerthNow on March 29.

• WA’s biggest road safety survey with

51 questions and over 8000 responses.

• A sample of 2000 were randomly

selected and analysed by independent research company

Galaxy.

Road tollRoad tollRoad tollRoad toll

Base: All respondents

Have had a friend or family member killed in a road crash. 36%

34%Have had a friend or family member seriously injured

or permanently disabled from a road crash.

Driving above speed limitsDriving above speed limitsDriving above speed limitsDriving above speed limits

24%

17%

15%

5%

34%

5%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Every day Several times a week At least once a week About once a month Rarely Never

Q. How often do you drive above the designated speed limit?

Base: All respondents

61% admit to driving above the speed limits.

Amount over speed limitAmount over speed limitAmount over speed limitAmount over speed limit

24%

17%

15%

5%

34%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Less than 9km/hr Between 9km/hr and 19km/hr Between 19km/hr and

29km/hr

Between 29km/hr and

39km/hr

More than 40km/hr

Q. What would be the most that you have ever driven above the speed limit?

Base: Respondents who speed

54% admit to driving over 19km/hr over the speed limits.

Road safetyRoad safetyRoad safetyRoad safety

Q. Base: All Respondents

Have not worn a seatbelt while being a driver or

passenger in a car. 34%

55%Have used a mobile phone

without a hands-free kit or

sent text messages while driving.

86%Agree with the law that it be illegal to use a mobile

phone while driving.

WA drivers areWA drivers areWA drivers areWA drivers are…………

Q. Do you think Western Australian drivers are:

Base: All Respondents

Arrogant 55%

Discourteous 68%

Impatient 82%

Tolerant 7%

Helpful 4%

None of the above

2%

Friendly 6%

Speed camerasSpeed camerasSpeed camerasSpeed cameras


Agree that multanovas and speed cameras are used too

often for revenue raising. 59%

59%Disagree that multanovas

and speed cameras should

only be installed at black spots.

56%Agree that the location of speed cameras should be

kept secret.

SpeedSpeedSpeedSpeed


Would not support speed limit reductions on WA roads.

73%

86% Agree that we need more traffic police on our roads.

73% Disagree that speed limits in high pedestrian areas should be reduced by 10km/hr to 30km/hr.

68% Disagree that drivers should be penalised if they alert other motorists to speed cameras.

Young driversYoung driversYoung driversYoung drivers


Agree that P-plate drivers should be

restricted in the number of passengers they can carry.

80%

60%Agree that P-platers caught speeding

should lose their licence.

89%Agree that P-plate drivers should be

restricted from driving high-powered vehicles.

91%Agree that road safety and driver education should be a mandatory

subject in WA schools.

HoonsHoonsHoonsHoons


Disagree that the level of hoon behaviour has

reduced in their neighbourhood due to police efforts to curb hooning.

67%

67%Think that impounding

penalties for hoon drivers is

not a significant enough deterrent.

49% Agree that hoons should have their cars sold, with the money put towards safety campaigns.

Drink drivingDrink drivingDrink drivingDrink driving

Think that if a drink driver kills/seriously injured someone they should be charged with

murder/attempted murder. 70%

70% Support government moves to immediately suspend drivers licences if they blow over 0.08.

75%Think that if a driver is banned for life from getting behind the wheel, their licence should never be

reinstated by the courts.



Agree that anyone caught drink

driving should be forced to install alcohol interlocks in their

cars before they can get their

licence back.

68%

73%Think that the allowable blood-

alcohol limit for all drivers should

not be dropped to 0.0 per cent.



Have driven with a blood alcohol level above the legal limit.

1 in 3

1 in 3 Have driven home after drinking because they found it too difficult to get a taxi/public transport.

1 in 10 Have driven after consuming illegal drugs.


Regional road safetyRegional road safetyRegional road safetyRegional road safety

Think the speed limit on country roads should not be

reduced to 100km/h.71%

58%Disagree that roadside

barriers should be constructed along all regional roads.


LicensingLicensingLicensingLicensing

Think that all people over the age of 75 should not

be forced to turn in their licence. 80%

43%Think all drivers should be forced to complete

‘refresher courses’ every five years.


Think double demerit campaigns on long weekends are not effective in reducing the road toll.

50%

Infrastructure and safer systemsInfrastructure and safer systemsInfrastructure and safer systemsInfrastructure and safer systems

Would not be willing to pay tolls on roads if it meant better and safer roads throughout WA.

72%

74%Think car manufacturers should be compiled to include

safety systems in new cars such as a trip switch that prevents the car from being started if seatbelts are not

worn.


Think double demerit campaigns on long weekends are not effective in reducing the road toll.

50%

Believe State Government should give financial incentives to businesses that buy fleet vehicles with

at least a 4 star safety rating.

52%

Other road usersOther road usersOther road usersOther road users

Think that all major roads should have cycling lanes. 78%

72%Believe that cyclists in general do not pay enough attention on

roads.


Think there should be a limit on the number of cyclists allowed

to ride in a pack. 78%

Think that speed limits on suburban roads should not be reduced by 10km/h to 40km/h to protect cyclists.

87%

WAWAWAWA’’’’s worst black spotss worst black spotss worst black spotss worst black spots

Worst RoadsWorst RoadsWorst RoadsWorst Roads

• Old Coast Rd

• South West Hwy

• Great Eastern Hwy

• Reid Hwy

• Albany Hwy

Horror IntersectionsHorror IntersectionsHorror IntersectionsHorror Intersections

• Reid Hwy & Mirrabooka Ave, Mirrabooka

• Reid Hwy & Alexander Dr, Mirrabooka

• Roe Hwy & Great Eastern Hwy, Midvale

• Beaufort St & Walcott St, Mt Lawley

• Roe Hwy & Tonkin Hwy, Forrestfield


Reactions to the surveyReactions to the surveyReactions to the surveyReactions to the survey

• Road Safety Minister Rob Johnson said he was impressed by

the big response to the survey, saying it demonstrated the high level of community concern.

• He has flagged support for road safety and driver education to

be introduced into the school curriculum for Year 10, 11 and 12.

• Said he would discuss the idea with Education Minister Liz

Constable.

Reactions to the surveyReactions to the surveyReactions to the surveyReactions to the survey

• Road Safety Council Chairman Grant Dorrington emphasised

that government agencies can only go so far.

• He said that every road user has to take responsibility for their own behaviour. Motorists have to do their bit.

Commitment to the communityCommitment to the communityCommitment to the communityCommitment to the community

• The Sunday Times gives commitment to readers to

investigate dangerous roads, get answers and solutions from politicians and road-safety authorities.

• Ask that politicians and road safety authorities don’t just listen

but take action.

Thank you

Road Safety Survey Results By Simon Ingleson

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