Road Safety
Kingborough Council is commiitted to improving road safety not only through infrastructure improvements but also through education of drivers, passengers and pedestrians.
Council through the Kingborough Road Safety Committee are adopting and investigating a number of road safety initiatives. This is further enhanced by the partnership with the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources and the "Community Road Safety Partnerships" project that is aimed at developing new initiatives to improve road safety in the local community.
One of the initiatives is the website "Road Safety South". This website is dedicated to road safety and has been developed as a joint venture of the Hobart, Huon Valley and Kingborough Councils and the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources. This site provides considerable information on road safety for motorists, cyclists, motor cyclists and pedestrians.
With colder weather approaching, the Kingborough Road Safety Committee, in conjunction with the Community Road Safety Partnership Program, will be focussing on educating motorists on safe travel speeds and driving to the conditions.
Regardless of the cause of a crash, travel speed is the most critical factor in a crash and the chances of surviving a crash decrease rapidly with increased travel speeds.
Speeding is not just about driving faster than the posted speed limit, but also driving too fast for the road, weather and traffic conditions without taking into account vehicle condition, driving skills and experience.
The most important thing is to slow down, make sure there is a reasonable distance between you and the car in front and to drive according to the conditions.
Besides maintaining a safe speed for the conditions, motorists should remember that leaving a safe stopping distance can reduce crash risks.
In an emergency the average driver takes about 1.5 seconds to react. At 50km/h this equates to travelling around 21 metres. This is longer than four Holden Commodores parked nose to tail.
Australian research has shown that the risk of a serious crash doubles with a 5km speed increase on 60km/h urban roads or with a 10km/h increase on rural highways. So, the faster you drive, the harder you hit and the more severe the injuries.
The Tasmanian Road Rules recommend leaving a 2 second gap at lower speeds and a 3 to 4 second gap for speeds 80km/h or more and for bad road or weather conditions, such as frost and ice.
Kingborough roads such as the Channel Highway, Southern Outlet and Algona Road are particular risk spots where motorists need to be aware of their travelling distance, especially in heavy traffic.
The Kingborough Road Safety Committee is reminding motorists to “Be Alert” and to remember that lower speed limits apply in high pedestrian and urban areas. In the upcoming weeks, the Committee will be posting information about safer travel speeds on Council’s website and Facebook pages.
Top Tips to Keep Within the Speed Limit
A Community Road Safety Partnership initiative
