Last week, Austroads released an economic analysis for their national initiative to harmonise temporary traffic management practices.
The analysis estimated that roadside worksite crashes cost $3.2 billion over a 10-year period. However, the cost is not solely economic.
The study found that each year (on average), there are:
- 18 fatal crashes
- 245 serious injury crashes
- 530 minor injury crashes
The consequences of crashes are severe, with people losing their lives or facing life changing injuries, such as paralysis, as well as ongoing trauma and mental health impacts.
The significant economic and human costs of these crashes is why safety – especially the safety of road workers – remains RA’s number one policy priority.
Nationally consistent measures that protect road workers by creating a safer working environment is a core pursuit for RA’s Road Worker Safety Working Group (RWSWG). The RWSWG specifically seek to improve the safety outcomes for the workers who build and maintain our roads.
The implementation and operation of the harmonised practice across all states and territories for a 10-year period would cost $156 million spread across Austroads, road transport agencies, registered training organisations, traffic management companies and individuals.
This is a seemingly small price to pay to improve road worker safety when measured against the $3.2 billion costs for crashes.
RA will continue working to encourage each state and territory to agree to the national harmonisation of traffic management, so that the community can share in the economic benefits, and our people get home safe each day.
If you are interested in learning more, please join us in Sydney on 13 October for our Spotlight on Safety event.