Mr MITCHELL - 1996-08-13
My question relates to the troublesome and difficult issue of road safety and the horrific record of fatal road accidents in 1996. I ask the minister whether the road safety campaigns
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are working satisfactorily and whether stricter measures for Territory drivers are being considered, not only in my own electorate of Millner but in other areas as well.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Millner who has been active on this issue for some time, not merely because of a recent fatal accident in his electorate. He has lobbied quite hard for changes to the traffic flows within his electorate and succeeded in having the new Rapid Creek Road traffic lights installed at a cost of some $0.5m because of the recent fatal accident that occurred on that stretch of road. It is interesting to look at the history of this stretch of road. In the beginning, it was a suburban street at best. In the 1960s, Bagot Road ended and a dirt track continued from the point where Kentucky Fried Chicken stands now. It has developed into something of a major arterial road. Deaths on that stretch of road have been too frequent.
I have put suggestions to the member for Millner and the member for Nightcliff, whose electorate also borders this area, as to safety measures for the stretch of road where the fatal accident occurred recently. The member for Nightcliff actually lives in that road. Some of the options that I have suggested include making it a divided highway to prevent motorists from exiting from some side roads. People are performing U-turns in this very busy area, and that could be described at best as suicidal. The problem with creating barriers to eliminate crossings on Trower Road is that people may gain increased confidence from that and accelerate as a result of having that security.
The Sabine Road area needs also to be looked at. People divert from Trower Road on to Sabine Road and drive through to McMillans Road at the moment. There is a range of engineering options that could be introduced. We could even close those roads off, with the effect that traffic would not be able to access Trower Road from some of those side roads. The introduction of speed and red light cameras, and a reduction in the speed limit from
70 km/h to 60 km/h are options favoured by people in the electorate whom the member for Millner has doorknocked. He is continuing to question people in the area to learn what kind of facilities they believe would be most appropriate to end the carnage.
May I say to honourable members that I am not trying to justify the horrific road toll that the Northern Territory is currently experiencing. However, the fact is that 80% of the 44 deaths that have occurred on our roads this year have been alcohol-related. A staggering 47% of victims were not wearing safety belts.
Mr Bailey: Where is the random breath-testing being done?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr COULTER: Mr Speaker ...
Mr Ah Kit: There is no money for that.
Mr COULTER: Before we become emotional about it, let us look at where the accidents occurred. Let us assess whether or not it is possible to set up a breathalyser at
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Yuendumu or wherever the accident was. Let us look at the relevant facts. I would like to quote some of the statistics to ensure members know what they are talking about. I will be very brief.
Until midnight on Sunday, there were 44 fatalities on Territory roads, which is 4 more than for the same period last year. Of those involved, 30 were Territorians, 6 were from interstate and 6 were from overseas. The place of residency of 2 remains unknown. Of the 44, 18 were drivers, 18 were passengers, 4 were pedestrians, 2 were motorcyclists, 1 was a pillion passenger and 1 was unable to be categorised. Of the 30 Territorians killed, 9 were Aboriginals. Of the 35 fatal accidents, alcohol was involved in half. Almost 80%, or 27, of the fatal accidents occurred in rural areas. I believe members would agree that it is very difficult to station breathalysers in rural areas.
I urge members to listen to these statistics. I know they will find them interesting. An almost unbelievable statistic is that, of the car occupants who died, nearly half, 46%, were not wearing seat belts. During the first half of 1996, 1330 road accidents were recorded in the Territory, with 25 being fatal accidents, 343 involving injury and 912 not involving injury. Being clinical for a moment, these statistics are comparable to those for last year in all categories.
Let us put a few things in their correct perspective. In the past few days, the media have stated that the Northern Territory now has become the region in Australia with the highest road toll by any measure, per capita or per vehicle/kilometre travelled. Let me say that the Northern Territory has always been the highest and, while it has a small population, it always will be. Our rates are a little above the rural rates of any state. Bear in mind where accidents are happening - 27 or almost 80% have occurred on rural roads. Let us not forget that, in many cases, these were single-vehicle rollovers, involving people who were tired or drunk and/or not wearing seat belts. This is the problem that we have to solve.
There is to be a think-tank on 2 September and invitations have gone to people from the tourism industry, from hire-car companies and the police. We have invited a number of people to join us to see what we can do to re-educate people. We need to get the message across that people should not drive when they drink, should wear a seat belt, travel at a safe speed and not drive when they are tired ...
Mr Bailey: Have enough police to enforce it.
Mr COULTER: I remind members to look at the statistics and at where the accidents are happening. They will find that the answers being offered from across the Chamber will not work. We have to get the message over to Territorians that, if they are drunk and driving, if they are not wearing a seat belt, if they are tired or if they are speeding, they are likely to kill not only themselves but other people as well. That is the problem.
Ms Martin: You cannot just have campaigns. You need money for the random breath-testing units.
Mr COULTER: Where would you breath-test in the rural areas? Remember that 80% of these accidents occurred on rural roads. Would you set up breathalyser stations in
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every Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory? The problem is of a different magnitude to what the member is suggesting it is in town. Statistics show that 27 of these accidents, 80% of them, occurred in rural areas. Breath-testing drivers after the Darwin Cup will not help much with people travelling on the back road to Lajamanu.
All I can suggest to honourable members is that they not become hysterical or excited. We are looking at attempting to re-educate the community. However, it is necessary to examine where the problems lie and what is causing them. In the main, they lie in confident, drunken people who are driving on rural roads and not wearing seat belts.
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are working satisfactorily and whether stricter measures for Territory drivers are being considered, not only in my own electorate of Millner but in other areas as well.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I welcome the question from the member for Millner who has been active on this issue for some time, not merely because of a recent fatal accident in his electorate. He has lobbied quite hard for changes to the traffic flows within his electorate and succeeded in having the new Rapid Creek Road traffic lights installed at a cost of some $0.5m because of the recent fatal accident that occurred on that stretch of road. It is interesting to look at the history of this stretch of road. In the beginning, it was a suburban street at best. In the 1960s, Bagot Road ended and a dirt track continued from the point where Kentucky Fried Chicken stands now. It has developed into something of a major arterial road. Deaths on that stretch of road have been too frequent.
I have put suggestions to the member for Millner and the member for Nightcliff, whose electorate also borders this area, as to safety measures for the stretch of road where the fatal accident occurred recently. The member for Nightcliff actually lives in that road. Some of the options that I have suggested include making it a divided highway to prevent motorists from exiting from some side roads. People are performing U-turns in this very busy area, and that could be described at best as suicidal. The problem with creating barriers to eliminate crossings on Trower Road is that people may gain increased confidence from that and accelerate as a result of having that security.
The Sabine Road area needs also to be looked at. People divert from Trower Road on to Sabine Road and drive through to McMillans Road at the moment. There is a range of engineering options that could be introduced. We could even close those roads off, with the effect that traffic would not be able to access Trower Road from some of those side roads. The introduction of speed and red light cameras, and a reduction in the speed limit from
70 km/h to 60 km/h are options favoured by people in the electorate whom the member for Millner has doorknocked. He is continuing to question people in the area to learn what kind of facilities they believe would be most appropriate to end the carnage.
May I say to honourable members that I am not trying to justify the horrific road toll that the Northern Territory is currently experiencing. However, the fact is that 80% of the 44 deaths that have occurred on our roads this year have been alcohol-related. A staggering 47% of victims were not wearing safety belts.
Mr Bailey: Where is the random breath-testing being done?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr COULTER: Mr Speaker ...
Mr Ah Kit: There is no money for that.
Mr COULTER: Before we become emotional about it, let us look at where the accidents occurred. Let us assess whether or not it is possible to set up a breathalyser at
Page 1465
Yuendumu or wherever the accident was. Let us look at the relevant facts. I would like to quote some of the statistics to ensure members know what they are talking about. I will be very brief.
Until midnight on Sunday, there were 44 fatalities on Territory roads, which is 4 more than for the same period last year. Of those involved, 30 were Territorians, 6 were from interstate and 6 were from overseas. The place of residency of 2 remains unknown. Of the 44, 18 were drivers, 18 were passengers, 4 were pedestrians, 2 were motorcyclists, 1 was a pillion passenger and 1 was unable to be categorised. Of the 30 Territorians killed, 9 were Aboriginals. Of the 35 fatal accidents, alcohol was involved in half. Almost 80%, or 27, of the fatal accidents occurred in rural areas. I believe members would agree that it is very difficult to station breathalysers in rural areas.
I urge members to listen to these statistics. I know they will find them interesting. An almost unbelievable statistic is that, of the car occupants who died, nearly half, 46%, were not wearing seat belts. During the first half of 1996, 1330 road accidents were recorded in the Territory, with 25 being fatal accidents, 343 involving injury and 912 not involving injury. Being clinical for a moment, these statistics are comparable to those for last year in all categories.
Let us put a few things in their correct perspective. In the past few days, the media have stated that the Northern Territory now has become the region in Australia with the highest road toll by any measure, per capita or per vehicle/kilometre travelled. Let me say that the Northern Territory has always been the highest and, while it has a small population, it always will be. Our rates are a little above the rural rates of any state. Bear in mind where accidents are happening - 27 or almost 80% have occurred on rural roads. Let us not forget that, in many cases, these were single-vehicle rollovers, involving people who were tired or drunk and/or not wearing seat belts. This is the problem that we have to solve.
There is to be a think-tank on 2 September and invitations have gone to people from the tourism industry, from hire-car companies and the police. We have invited a number of people to join us to see what we can do to re-educate people. We need to get the message across that people should not drive when they drink, should wear a seat belt, travel at a safe speed and not drive when they are tired ...
Mr Bailey: Have enough police to enforce it.
Mr COULTER: I remind members to look at the statistics and at where the accidents are happening. They will find that the answers being offered from across the Chamber will not work. We have to get the message over to Territorians that, if they are drunk and driving, if they are not wearing a seat belt, if they are tired or if they are speeding, they are likely to kill not only themselves but other people as well. That is the problem.
Ms Martin: You cannot just have campaigns. You need money for the random breath-testing units.
Mr COULTER: Where would you breath-test in the rural areas? Remember that 80% of these accidents occurred on rural roads. Would you set up breathalyser stations in
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every Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory? The problem is of a different magnitude to what the member is suggesting it is in town. Statistics show that 27 of these accidents, 80% of them, occurred in rural areas. Breath-testing drivers after the Darwin Cup will not help much with people travelling on the back road to Lajamanu.
All I can suggest to honourable members is that they not become hysterical or excited. We are looking at attempting to re-educate the community. However, it is necessary to examine where the problems lie and what is causing them. In the main, they lie in confident, drunken people who are driving on rural roads and not wearing seat belts.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016