The Queensland Government has released a new ten-year road safety strategy that includes significant increases in penalties for infringements and a welcome focus on road worker safety.
Queensland’s Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said the entire strategy is framed around a simple objective – to save lives and prevent injuries.
“Today we are reaffirming our commitment to zero road deaths and serious injuries by 2050 by cracking down on driver behaviour. The strategy’s action plan also delivers new penalties for speeding, running a red light and seatbelt offences starting 1 July 2022.”
The increased penalties follow Queensland’s introduction of seatbelt detection cameras, which in the first four months of operation have detected nearly 14,000 offences across the state.
“We make no apologies for being tough on this reckless and dangerous behaviour, just like we did for mobile phone offences,” the Minister said.
RA especially welcomes the strategy’s commitment to elevate the safety of road workers in the development and implementation of policy initiatives. As the strategy notes:
This area is under-explored in terms of road safety measures, and the Queensland Government is committed to working across government and industry to identify new opportunities to improve the safety of those who work on the road or in a vehicle. Through this approach, we can also influence and impact the community more broadly by improving workplace road safety culture.
The first Action Plan released in support of the new strategy commits Queensland to implement Austroads’ new guide to temporary traffic management, and trial and implement new traffic technologies and enforcement cameras to improve the safety of road workers.