Police will this month focus on the safety of Canberra’s vulnerable road users such as children, pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists who last year made up around a third of those injured or killed on our roads.
ACT Policing and the Justice and Community Safety Directorate have launched a joint road safety campaign for October which will focus on awareness of vulnerable road users who do not have the same protection as a car during a collision.
Officer in Charge Traffic Operations, Acting Station Sergeant Marcus Boorman said all road users should be aware of their surroundings.
“A small collision between a car and a vulnerable road user can have serious consequences, and could result in serious injuries or death.”
The 2016 ACT Road Crash Report released in late August revealed that four of the 11 fatalities on ACT roads last year were vulnerable road users such as cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists. In addition, 222 of the 748 people injured in 2016 were vulnerable road users.
These figures represent 36 per cent of fatalities and 30 per cent of injuries that occurred in the ACT last year.
“I urge all road users to be aware of their surroundings and be alert, particularly for vulnerable road users,” said Station Sergeant Boorman.
“Obey road rules and regulations as they are in place to ensure everyone’s safety.”
The October road safety campaign forms part of the ACT Road Safety Strategy 2011-2020 which prioritises a Vision Zero approach to road safety.
The ‘Vision Zero’ approach to road safety focuses on vulnerable road users, as well as speed management, impaired and dangerous driving and driver distraction.
“Vision Zero means that no fatality is acceptable, given the enormous emotional costs to families and the community when a person is involved in a serious accident,” ACT Road Safety Minister Shane Rattenbury said when the 2016 Road Crash Report was released.
“I urge all Canberrans to consider Vision Zero. Together, we can keep our community safe on our roads.”
What are some of the main road safety issues faced in Canberra by pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists? What more can be done to reduce the number of vulnerable road users being killed or injured on ACT roads? Let us know in the comments below.