Members of the Kings Highway Road Safety Partnership are urging motorists not to rush these holidays when travelling on the Kings Highway. Eurobodalla Shire Council, a member of the partnership formed six years ago, fully supports the need for motorists to slow down and drive to the conditions.
“For the past three summers, drivers are not getting the message about driving within the speed limit,” Eurobodalla Mayor Lindsay Brown said.
“NSW and ACT Policing data reveals that last summer from December to January, 354 drivers were issued with speeding fines. For the same two month period in 2011-2012 348 drivers were booked for speeding and the 2010-2011 summer saw 319 speeding tickets issued.”
“Thankfully crashes are trending down over the summer period. The partnership will strive to target those irresponsible drivers who blatantly disregard the road rules and put other lives at risk as zero crashes is the ultimate goal,” added Lindsay Brown.
Between December 2012 and January 2013, a total of nine crashes occurred on the Kings Highway with over half of those crashes speed related. For the same two month period during 2011-2012, 24 crashes occurred and again 50% were speed related.
ACT Policing Officer-in-Charge of Traffic Operations, Station Sergeant Rod Anderson said a large proportion of speeding tickets issued were to male drivers in the 21 – 25 age group bracket.
“Last summer from December 2012 to January 2013, police issued 364 speeding tickets to reckless Kings Highway road users and 278 of those tickets issued were to male drivers (66 male drivers aged 21-25),” Sergeant Anderson said.
“Passengers have an important role to play as well and we urge them to speak up and tell the driver to slow down if they are speeding or taking risks on the road.”
Batemans Bay Highway Patrol Sergeant, Angus Duncombe, would like to remind drivers that they endanger the lives of other road users and their own passengers when they drive irresponsibly.
“This year, if you speed, you will be caught as part of the partnership’s coordinated high visibility enforcement strategy,” Sergeant Duncombe said.
The Kings Highway is very busy over summer with a mixture of cars, caravans, boat trailers, motorcyclists and trucks so Mayor Brown says the best advice is to prepare for your trip, be patient and stay within the speed limit.
“If you are a passenger, speak up and tell your driver to slow down and drive to the conditions. If you are a driver, ensure your vehicle is roadworthy, including the tyres, have plenty of rest and don’t drink the night before. Plan regular rest breaks and minimise driver distractions by turning off your mobile and providing passive activities for children in the car to keep them quietly entertained,” Cr Brown said.
“I want our visitors to remember their Christmas holiday for all the right reasons, so please don’t rush on the Kings Highway this summer.”
The Kings Highway Road Safety Partnership summer campaign will be officially launched in Bungendore on 10 December 2013. Partners include NSW Roads and Maritime Services, the NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust, ACT Justice and Community Safety Directorate, NSW Police Far South Coast, Monaro and Shoalhaven Highway Patrol, ACT Policing and Eurobodalla, Palerang, Queanbeyan and Shoalhaven councils.
[Courtesy ACT Policing]
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