21 Dec 2011: Australia: Road safety is an oxymoron

[ozbob]

Media release 21 December 2011

Australia: Road safety is an oxymoron

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers is appalled by the lack of political leadership in reducing the number of deaths and those injured or maimed in road crashes.

Robert Dow, spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Whilst our major political parties squabble about the funding of 'road safety' campaigns and 'safer roads', people continue to die and be maimed on our roads on an escalating daily basis (1). What is putting lives at risk is the sheer volume of cars and trucks on our roads day and night and the lack of serious policies to move the vast majority of people and freight by rail or public transport."

"Rail is 40 times safer than driving and a bus 10 time safer not to mention 100's of times more efficient yet our transport networks are being designed for 80% of trips to be by motor vehicle. Road trauma is costing our nation around $40 billion each and every year and this cost is escalating rapidly (2,3)."

"The rail industry has numerous campaigns aimed at achieving Zero Harm and every life lost is the focus of concentrated assessment to avoid the loss in the future.  Meanwhile the road transport industry sees a life lost as a mere statistic and primarily the fault of the operator. The contrast could not be starker and explains why the rail industry has deaths in the low 30's whilst the road industry is in the 1000's. A transport mode that has the huge death and injury toll such as road would quite rightly be expected to be shut down. Unfortunately, cars and trucks are a favoured political species, and the community is sacrificed."

"If our political leaders aspire to 'truly' reducing road deaths then the Road Industry must adopt a Zero Harm mentality and our transport systems designed to have the minimum number of motor vehicles physically possible on the road.  Instead of 80% of trips being by motor vehicle there should be only 25% and long distance road trips a thing of the past."

"Countries and cities all over the world have shown that such targets are possible if actually planned from the beginning and the economic, social and environmental benefits greater."

"The ways and means are there. All that is it needed is leadership, not political mud slinging and name calling."  

1.   http://scottemerson.com.au/news/labors-cuts-to-road-safety-puts-queensland-lives-at-risk.html

2.   Road trauma is breaking the nation   http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4652.msg79735#msg79735  

3.   Australasian Railway Association Inc  The cost of road crashes: A review of key issues Dr Richard Tooth  http://www.ara.net.au/UserFiles/file/Publications/TheCostofRoadCrashesReport.pdf

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

More --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4652.0

[somebody]

Good point, but I'd have drawn a parallel to QR's zero harm policy.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

23rd December 2012

Greetings,

The police commissioner is pleading for commonsense/courtesy/safety on the roads.  ' Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson in impassioned plea for Christmas road safety, http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/show-some-respect/story-e6freoof-1226228921025 '. And good that he is.  But again the article highlights the sad fatality toll, but what about the massive injury toll?  By highlighting both, pleas might be a bit more productive.  For every road fatality there are approximately 25 hospital admission for injuries caused by road crashes on average. The cost of managing the horrific injury toll is a massive burden to the health sector.

The incident of the child falling from the train up north highlights how out of touch the nation actually is.  A misadventure on a train is cause for  major upheaval media and organisational wise. Meanwhile deaths and injuries continue unabated on the roads.

There is a point where responsibility for one's actions, in this case the need to supervise children is not a cop out for 'zero harm' ...

The carriages are in constant use and have been for 45 years.  I can only recall one other chap falling out, when some what under the influence he opened the wrong door.

People have regularly fallen out of motor vehicles, and occasionally out of aircraft, overboard on ships ...  5 year olds need supervision on all transport modes.

A person has posted the following comment on our forum with respect to the whoo-haaa re the train incident at Cairns:

'What a double standard.  If the same reaction was taken to every road accident (and it should) then all cars should be take out of service whilst each and every road accident is investigated.
Again we treat a road accident as just a simple mistake or error or bad luck or stupidity but a train accident requires a "Royal Inquiry"

What is good for the goose is good for the gander'

The hypocrisy of the authorities is palpable.

Drive safely, but better to catch a train or bus, if you can find one.

Best wishes,
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

Media release 21 December 2011

Australia: Road safety is an oxymoron

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers is appalled by the lack of political leadership in reducing the number of deaths and those injured or maimed in road crashes.

Robert Dow, spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track said:

"Whilst our major political parties squabble about the funding of 'road safety' campaigns and 'safer roads', people continue to die and be maimed on our roads on an escalating daily basis (1). What is putting lives at risk is the sheer volume of cars and trucks on our roads day and night and the lack of serious policies to move the vast majority of people and freight by rail or public transport."

"Rail is 40 times safer than driving and a bus 10 time safer not to mention 100's of times more efficient yet our transport networks are being designed for 80% of trips to be by motor vehicle. Road trauma is costing our nation around $40 billion each and every year and this cost is escalating rapidly (2,3)."

"The rail industry has numerous campaigns aimed at achieving Zero Harm and every life lost is the focus of concentrated assessment to avoid the loss in the future.  Meanwhile the road transport industry sees a life lost as a mere statistic and primarily the fault of the operator. The contrast could not be starker and explains why the rail industry has deaths in the low 30's whilst the road industry is in the 1000's. A transport mode that has the huge death and injury toll such as road would quite rightly be expected to be shut down. Unfortunately, cars and trucks are a favoured political species, and the community is sacrificed."

"If our political leaders aspire to 'truly' reducing road deaths then the Road Industry must adopt a Zero Harm mentality and our transport systems designed to have the minimum number of motor vehicles physically possible on the road.  Instead of 80% of trips being by motor vehicle there should be only 25% and long distance road trips a thing of the past."

"Countries and cities all over the world have shown that such targets are possible if actually planned from the beginning and the economic, social and environmental benefits greater."

"The ways and means are there. All that is it needed is leadership, not political mud slinging and name calling."  

1.   http://scottemerson.com.au/news/labors-cuts-to-road-safety-puts-queensland-lives-at-risk.html

2.   Road trauma is breaking the nation   http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4652.msg79735#msg79735  

3.   Australasian Railway Association Inc  The cost of road crashes: A review of key issues Dr Richard Tooth  http://www.ara.net.au/UserFiles/file/Publications/TheCostofRoadCrashesReport.pdf

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org