Inquiry Into Aspects of Road Safety in Australia
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Inquiry into aspects of road safety in Australia Submission to the Senate Standing Committees on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee June 2015 Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................. 4 The burden of road trauma in Australia and current trauma trends ................................................................... 4 About MUARC ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................................................ 5 Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Responses to the Terms of Reference .......................................................................................................................... 8 A. The social and economic cost of road-related injury and death .......................................................................... 8 Key Points (A) ........................................................................................................................................................ 8 Costing and valuation of road trauma in Australia ............................................................................................... 8 The health impacts of road trauma .................................................................................................................... 10 Methods of costing and valuing road trauma at a general level ........................................................................ 10 Implications of WTP valuation ............................................................................................................................ 11 B. The importance of design standards on imported vehicles as Australian vehicle manufacturing winds down 14 Key Points (B) ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 Australian Design Rules (ADRs) and their contribution to road safety .............................................................. 14 The MUARC Used Car Safety Rating program .................................................................................................... 16 Research Support for the Continued Formulation of Additional Australian Design Rules ................................. 19 Future role of Australian Design Rules (ADRs) ................................................................................................... 23 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) Regulations ......................................................... 24 C. The impact of new technologies and advancements in understanding of vehicle design and road safety....... 27 Key Points (C) ...................................................................................................................................................... 27 Retrospective effects of vehicle safety improvements ...................................................................................... 28 Projected future road trauma savings due to secondary safety improvements ................................................ 29 Injury and cost savings associated with various safety technologies ................................................................. 31 Issues for the introduction of new vehicle technologies.................................................................................... 34 D. The different considerations affecting road safety in urban, regional and rural areas ..................................... 35 Key Points (D)...................................................................................................................................................... 35 Senate Inquiry into Aspects of Road Safety in Australia MUARC Submission 2 Fatalities and serious injury rates in urban, regional and rural areas ................................................................ 35 Crash types and current trends in urban, regional and rural areas ................................................................... 35 Speed related factors and Infrastructure ........................................................................................................... 36 Potential impacts of increased bicycle use in urban, regional and rural areas .................................................. 36 Recommended countermeasures ...................................................................................................................... 36 E. Other associated matters. .................................................................................................................................. 37 Key Points (E) ...................................................................................................................................................... 37 Older road users ................................................................................................................................................. 37 Older Road User Risk Factors ............................................................................................................................. 40 New vehicle technologies and the vulnerable road user ................................................................................... 42 The road environment for older road users ....................................................................................................... 43 Countering the ‘older driver problem’ in a Safe System context ....................................................................... 44 Improvements to licensing procedures .............................................................................................................. 44 Land use and transportation infrastructure. ...................................................................................................... 48 Powered Two-Wheelers (PTWs) ......................................................................................................................... 49 Final Comments/Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 50 Primary challenges that face our road safety future: ......................................................................................... 50 Recommended countermeasures that will provide the greatest benefits: ....................................................... 50 References .................................................................................................................................................................. 51 Senate Inquiry into Aspects of Road Safety in Australia MUARC Submission 3 Introduction The burden of road trauma in Australia and current trauma trends While there have been significant reductions in road trauma over recent years, more than 1100 Australians were killed in road crashes during 2014 and an estimated 17,000 Australians sustained a serious injury. According to World Health Organisation figures, Australia still seriously lags behind international best countries in road safety performance. The social cost of road crashes is estimated to be between $18 -27 billion annually depending on the method used and based on most recent estimates (BITRE 2010a). About MUARC The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) is Australia’s largest and most respected transport safety research centre. MUARC has a multi-disciplinary team of researchers and collaborates closely with road safety stakeholders in Australia and overseas. MUARC’s research has been successfully applied across all modes of transport, reducing deaths and serious injuries through evidence-based countermeasures including translation into policy. Contributors to this submission1 Prof. Max Cameron (Professor – Research), Statistical Analysis & Transport Systems Assoc. Prof. Judith Charlton (Acting Director). Behavioural Science for Transport Safety Prof. Brian Fildes (Adjunct Professor) Assoc. Prof. Michael Fitzharris (Assoc. Director), In Depth Crash Investigations & Transport Regulation Dr. Sjaan Koppel, Behavioural Science for Transport Safety Dr. David Logan, Senior Research Fellow Assoc. Prof. Stuart Newstead (Assoc. Director), Statistical Analysis & Transport Systems Dr. Jenny Oxley, Behavioural Science for Transport Safety Dr Trevor Allen, Research Fellow, played a major role in the integration and preparation of this submission. His contribution is acknowledged and greatly appreciated by the other contributors. 1 The views expressed in this document are those of the authors and not necessarily that of Monash University. Senate Inquiry into Aspects of Road Safety in Australia MUARC Submission 4 Abbreviations ADAS Advanced Driver Assistant Systems ADR Australian Design Rule AEB Autonomous Emergency Braking BCR Benefit Cost Ratio BITRE Bureau of Infrastructure Transport and Regional Economics BTE Bureau of Transport Economics CPI Consumer Price Index DIRD Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development ECE Economic Commission for Europe ESC Electronic Stability Control FMVSS United States