tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/road-safety-1104/articlesRoad safety – The Conversation2024-03-21T02:05:02Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2223672024-03-21T02:05:02Z2024-03-21T02:05:02Z10 million animals die on our roads each year. Here’s what works (and what doesn’t) to cut the toll<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/576080/original/file-20240215-18-zoy3x1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3050%2C2027&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/two-australian-kangaroos-hopping-fast-along-1404997343">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>There’s almost no warning. A dark shape appears on the side of the road, then you feel a jolt as something goes under the car. Or worse, the shape rears up, hits the front of your vehicle, then slams into the windscreen. You have just experienced a wildlife-vehicle collision. </p>
<p>This gruesome scene plays out <a href="https://www.bbcearth.com/news/australias-road-kill-map">every night across Australia</a>.
When these collisions happen, many animals become instant roadkill. An <a href="https://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/handle/2123/23121/Thesis%20updated%20for%20library%20submission.pdf?sequence=1">estimated 10 million</a> native mammals, reptiles, birds and other species are killed each year.</p>
<p>Others are injured and die away from the road. Some survive with <a href="https://theconversation.com/10-million-animals-are-hit-on-our-roads-each-year-heres-how-you-can-help-them-and-steer-clear-of-them-these-holidays-149733">terrible injuries and have to be euthanised</a>. The lucky ones might <a href="https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/who-should-i-contact-about-injured-wildlife/">be rescued</a> by groups such as <a href="https://wildliferescue.net.au/">Wildlife Rescue</a>, <a href="https://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/">Wildlife Victoria</a> and <a href="https://www.wires.org.au/">WIRES</a>.</p>
<p>Wildlife-vehicle collisions also increase the risk to whole populations of some threatened species, such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/WR17143">Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo</a> on the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland.</p>
<p>People are affected, too. Human <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1742-6723.13361">deaths and injuries</a> from these collisions are rising, with motorcyclists at greatest risk. Vehicle repairs are <a href="https://www.mynrma.com.au/-/media/wildlife-road-safety-report--final.pdf">inconvenient and costly</a>. Added to this is the distress for people when dealing with a dead or dying animal on the roadside.</p>
<p>How can we reduce the wildlife toll on our roads? Many measures have been tried and proven largely ineffective. However, other evidence-based approaches can help avoid collisions.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/2-biggest-threats-to-wombats-revealed-in-new-data-gathered-by-citizen-scientists-215713">2 biggest threats to wombats revealed in new data gathered by citizen scientists</a>
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<h2>Evidence for what works is limited</h2>
<p>Many communities are worried about the growing impacts of wildlife-vehicle collisions and are desperate for solutions. Recent reports from <a href="https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1822182/FULLTEXT01.pdf">Europe</a> and <a href="https://westerntransportationinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/4w7576_Huijser_etal_WVC_ConnectivityLiteratureReview_PooledFundStudyFinalReport_2021.pdf">North America</a> review the many methods to reduce such collisions. </p>
<p>Do these findings apply to Australia’s unique fauna? Unfortunately, we don’t have a detailed analysis of options for our wildlife, but here’s what we know now.</p>
<p>Well-designed fences keep wildlife off our highways but also fragment the landscape. Happily, animals will use crossing structures – overpasses and <a href="https://theconversation.com/good-news-highway-underpasses-for-wildlife-actually-work-187434">underpasses</a> – to get to food and mates on the other side of the road. Fences and crossings do work, but are regarded as too costly over Australia’s vast road network.</p>
<p>As for standard wildlife warning signs, drivers <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4494358/">ignore most of them</a> after a while, making them ineffective. Signs with graphic images and variable messages get <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ani3041142">more attention</a>, but we need road trials to assess their effect on drivers and collision rates.</p>
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<img alt="A road sign warns of the danger of camels, kangaroos and wombats crossing the road for the next 92km" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/576084/original/file-20240215-26-epzn5z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/576084/original/file-20240215-26-epzn5z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/576084/original/file-20240215-26-epzn5z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/576084/original/file-20240215-26-epzn5z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/576084/original/file-20240215-26-epzn5z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/576084/original/file-20240215-26-epzn5z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/576084/original/file-20240215-26-epzn5z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">The vastness of Australia’s road network is one of the challenges for protecting native wildlife.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Taras Vyshnya/Shutterstock</span></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/good-news-highway-underpasses-for-wildlife-actually-work-187434">Good news: highway underpasses for wildlife actually work</a>
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<h2>Whistling in the dark</h2>
<p>Some drivers install cheap, wind-driven, high-pitched wildlife whistles on their vehicles. Tests in the United States 20 years ago found humans and deer <a href="https://doi.org/10.1121/1.1582071">could not hear any whistling sound</a> above the road noise of the test vehicle. Yet these devices are still sold in Australia as kangaroo deterrents. </p>
<p>The Shu-Roo, an Australian invention, is an active wildlife whistle. It is fitted to the bumper bar, producing a high-pitched electronic sound, which is claimed to scare wildlife away from the road. Sadly, <a href="https://rest.neptune-prod.its.unimelb.edu.au/server/api/core/bitstreams/3c3154e0-2f48-5b73-a6cd-a7423c2a75ee/content">our tests</a> show the Shu-Roo signal can’t be heard above road noise 50 metres away and has no effect on captive kangaroo behaviour. </p>
<p>We also recruited fleets of trucks, buses, vans, utes and cars to field test the Shu-Roo. Nearly 100 vehicles covered more than 4 million kilometres across Australia over 15,500 days. The drivers reported just over one wildlife-vehicle collision per 100,000km travelled, but <a href="https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2021.042">there was no difference in the rate</a> for vehicles fitted with a Shu-Roo versus those without one.</p>
<p>The virtual fence is the latest attempt to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions. It uses a line of posts spaced along the roadside, each with a unit producing loud sounds and flashing lights aimed away from the road. Vehicle headlights activate the units, which are claimed to alert animals and reduce the risk of collision. </p>
<p>Early results from Tasmania were encouraging. A 50% drop in possum and wallaby deaths was reported, but <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/AM19009">this trial had many design flaws</a>. Recent trials in <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/10/752">Tasmania</a>, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/10/1323">New South Wales</a> and <a href="https://www.redland.qld.gov.au/downloads/download/292/virtual_fence_to_reduce_vehicle_collisions_with_wallabies_on_heinemann_rd_-_final_report_2020">Queensland</a> show no effect of virtual fencing on collisions with possums, wallabies or wombats. </p>
<p>Our concern is that this system is being <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-02/wildlife-fence-trial-underway-in-queensland-and-phillip-island/12268110">rolled out</a> in <a href="https://www.townsville.qld.gov.au/about-council/news-and-publications/media-releases/2023/june/councils-innovative-trial-helping-keep-local-wildlife-safe">many</a> <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-26/nsw-south-coast-council-first-virtual-fence-to-protect-wildlife/101571600">parts</a> of <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/the-stealth-tech-aiming-to-stop-roos-from-becoming-roadkill-20231222-p5etda.html">Australia</a>. It gives the impression of action to reduce collisions with wildlife, but without an evidence base, solid study design or adequate monitoring.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/roadkill-we-can-predict-where-animals-cross-roads-and-use-it-to-prevent-collisions-164001">Roadkill: we can predict where animals cross roads – and use it to prevent collisions</a>
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<h2>A very messy problem</h2>
<p>The problem has many dimensions. We need to consider all of them to achieve safe travel for people and animals on our roads. </p>
<p>At a landscape level, collision hotspots occur where wildlife frequently cross roads, which can help us predict the collision risk for species such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/aec.13465">koalas</a>. But the risk differs between species. For example, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01530">on Phillip Island</a> most wallaby collisions happen on rural roads, while most involving possums and birds are in urban streets. </p>
<p>Traffic volume and speed are key factors for many species, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2306">kangaroos</a>. </p>
<p>Driver training and experience are also important. In the Royal National Park in New South Wales, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/6/6/40">half the drivers surveyed</a> had struck animals, including wallabies and deer. Yet most still <a href="https://theconversation.com/10-million-animals-are-hit-on-our-roads-each-year-heres-how-you-can-help-them-and-steer-clear-of-them-these-holidays-149733">weren’t keen</a> to slow down or avoid driving at dawn and dusk.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/10-million-animals-are-hit-on-our-roads-each-year-heres-how-you-can-help-them-and-steer-clear-of-them-these-holidays-149733">10 million animals are hit on our roads each year. Here’s how you can help them (and steer clear of them) these holidays</a>
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<p>Road design has a major influence on wildlife-vehicle collions too, but the planning process too often <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.959918">neglects wildlife studies</a>.</p>
<p>Smarter cars are <a href="https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1822182/FULLTEXT01.pdf">being developed</a>. One day these will use AI to spot animal hazards, apply automatic emergency braking and alert other drivers of real-time risk. </p>
<p>To explore potential technological solutions, Transport for NSW is running a <a href="https://www.eianz.org/events/event/symposium-using-technology-to-reduce-wildlife-vehicle-collisions">symposium</a> at the University of Technology Sydney on May 21. The symposium will cover wildlife ecology and the evidence base for options to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions in Australia. </p>
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<p><em>If you see an injured animal on the road, call <a href="https://www.wildliferescue.net.au/">Wildlife Rescue Australia</a> on 1300 596 457. for specific state and territory numbers, go to the <a href="https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/who-should-i-contact-about-injured-wildlife/">RSPCA injured wildlife site</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/222367/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Graeme Coulson currently receives funding from Nakatomi, Parks Victoria, Phillip Island Nature Parks and ACT Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Helena Bender received past funding from the following organisations to undertake PhD research that is drawn up and reported in this work: Holsworth Wildlife Fund, The Royal Automative Club of Victoria, New South Wales Road Traffic Authority, National Roads and Motorists' Association Limited, Transport South Australia, The University of Melbourne (Department of Zoology and the Faculty of Science). She has received funding more recently from Nakatomi.</span></em></p>Many measures commonly thought to reduce the toll of animals injured and killed on our roads aren’t effective. But there is evidence to support other solutions.Graeme Coulson, Honorary Principal Fellow, School of BioSciences, The University of MelbourneHelena Bender, Senior Lecturer, Environmental Social Sciences, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2221482024-02-01T19:04:50Z2024-02-01T19:04:50ZE-scooters are linked with injuries and hospital visits – but we can’t say they are riskier than bikes yet<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/572055/original/file-20240130-19-6isy51.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=20%2C40%2C6689%2C4426&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/girl-in-pink-dress-riding-kick-scooter-on-road-during-daytime-7f6dk5M2XMs">JavyGo/Unsplash</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>E-scooters are a popular new feature of urban mobility, offering an <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1361920922001560">eco-friendly</a> solution with <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-022-01135-1">zero exhaust emissions</a> and agility in city spaces. They make an attractive option for <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856420306522">“last-mile” commuting</a> — bridging the gap between public transport and final destinations. </p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/five-years-on-brisbanes-e-scooters-and-e-bikes-are-winning-over-tourists-and-residents-as-they-open-up-the-city-212464">Tourists</a> like them, too, as <a href="https://theconversation.com/wallets-on-wheels-city-visitors-who-use-e-scooters-more-spend-more-161886">a convenient way to explore new cities</a>.</p>
<p>Launched in Singapore in 2016, the global electric scooter market is valued at more than <a href="https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/electric-scooters-market">US$33.18 billion</a> (A$49 billion) and is growing each year by around 10%.</p>
<p>More than 600 cities globally have embraced e-scooter sharing programs, yet reactions to these micro-mobility vehicles vary, making them a <a href="https://x.com/cyclecollective/status/1519180314853011456?s=20">contentious</a> urban planning issue. </p>
<p>Cities such as <a href="https://www.levyelectric.com/resources/cities-that-have-banned-electric-scooters%3A-a-comprehensive-list">San Francisco and Madrid</a> initially banned e-scooters, citing safety and public space concerns, but later introduced regulations for their use. <a href="https://x.com/guardian/status/1593352770521899010?s=20">Paris</a> conducted a <a href="https://x.com/AFP/status/1642725442556932096?s=20">referendum</a>, resulting in an e-scooter ban. </p>
<p>In Australia, the response has been more welcoming, though regulations differ across states and territories. What do we know about how safe e-scooters are? And what can we learn from other cities?</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/e-scooters-are-becoming-wildly-popular-but-we-have-to-factor-in-the-weather-190917">E-scooters are becoming wildly popular – but we have to factor in the weather</a>
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<h2>More e-scooters means more injuries</h2>
<p>The growing popularity of e-scooters worldwide, including in Australian cities, has been mirrored by a significant rise in related <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ans.18814">injuries and hospital admissions</a>. </p>
<p>Most of <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/article-abstract/2795144">these incidents</a> involve males in their late 20s or early 30s, commonly sustaining head, face and limb injuries. There is consistently low helmet use in those injured. Also, about 30% of people who go to hospital with e-scooter injuries have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8204371/">elevated blood alcohol levels</a>. Crashes involving <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-25448-z">riders under the influence of alcohol</a> are associated with more severe head and face injuries.</p>
<p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ans.18814">A study</a> examining data from the Royal Melbourne Hospital reported 256 e-scooter-related injuries in the year to January 2023 – including nine pedestrians – with a total hospitalisation cost of A$1.9 million. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.racq.com.au/latest-news/news/2023/12/ns191223-data-shows-e-scooter-riders-still-not-taking-safety-seriously">Queensland</a>, e-scooter-related presentations to hospitals rose from 279 in 2019 to 877 in 2022. By September of 2023, this figure had already reached 801 (full-year figures weren’t available yet). Similar trends are seen in almost every city that has introduced e-scooters. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571795/original/file-20240129-15-jxxvsl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571795/original/file-20240129-15-jxxvsl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571795/original/file-20240129-15-jxxvsl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571795/original/file-20240129-15-jxxvsl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571795/original/file-20240129-15-jxxvsl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571795/original/file-20240129-15-jxxvsl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571795/original/file-20240129-15-jxxvsl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571795/original/file-20240129-15-jxxvsl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Data source: Royal Automobile Club of Queensland.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-of-swerving-high-fuel-prices-with-an-e-scooter-or-e-bike-5-crucial-questions-answered-179563">Thinking of swerving high fuel prices with an e-scooter or e-bike? 5 crucial questions answered</a>
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<h2>But are e-scooters riskier than other transport?</h2>
<p>All modes of transport come with inherent safety risks. While <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ans.18538">trauma patient records in Western Australia</a> show an almost 200% annual increase between 2017 and 2022 in e-scooter related admissions, these figures still remain well below those for cyclist injuries.</p>
<p>We need to understand the <em>relative risk</em> of e-scooters – a newcomer to the mobility market – and compare it to other established forms of transport. A proper assessment also considers <em>exposure</em> – the total number of trips and the distance covered.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www-sciencedirect-com.wwwproxy1.library.unsw.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0033350622000646?ref=cra_js_challenge&fr=RR-1">study</a> in the United Kingdom, incorporating exposure factors using data from an e-scooter rideshare operator and hospital admissions combined, indicates that although hospital presentations increased during the e-scooter trial period, the injury rate was comparable to that of bicycles.</p>
<p>But it might be a different story when it comes to the severity of injuries. Some studies suggest a higher incidence of <a href="https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/29/2/121.abstract">severe trauma among e-scooter users</a> compared to cyclists. One <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/article-abstract/2806716">study</a> of more than 5,000 patients treated at a major trauma centre in Paris found that, while the mortality rate from e-scooter crashes wasn’t higher than that of bicycles or motorbikes, the risk of severe traumatic brain injuries was slightly higher than bicycles (26% compared to 22%).</p>
<p>There is <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/article-abstract/2795144">evidence</a> e-scooter riders tend to engage in significantly more risky behaviour than cyclists. Compared to injured bicyclists, those injured while riding e-scooters: </p>
<ul>
<li>tend to be younger </li>
<li>are more frequently found to be intoxicated </li>
<li>exhibit a lower rate of helmet use </li>
<li>and are more commonly involved in accidents at night or on weekends.</li>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/whos-liable-if-youre-injured-or-killed-riding-an-e-scooter-187436">Who's liable if you're injured or killed riding an e-scooter?</a>
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<h2>We can make them safer</h2>
<p>Mitigating safety risks of e-scooters requires consistent <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210670722006175">regulation</a>, stricter enforcement of rules, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-e-scooter-riders-are-breaking-the-law-its-mostly-because-they-dont-know-what-it-says-219453">user education</a> about safe scootering. This includes restrictions on usage times, rider age restrictions, mobile phone and headphone use, riding under the influence of drugs or alcohol, speed limits, helmet use and carrying passengers.</p>
<p>The cooperation of e-scooter companies is crucial in enhancing safety. They could curb risky behaviours and enforce the rules. This could be done with simple devices to make scooters automatically stick within speed limits, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@abcnewsaus/video/7322301343421451527">sobriety tests before operation</a> or detecting and preventing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/11/melbourne-e-scooters-will-shout-at-riders-in-no-go-areas-deputy-mayor-says">tandem riding</a>. More advanced options could include technology to require helmet use for scooter activation.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/572057/original/file-20240130-24-4cw8wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="bank of e-scooters on city footpath" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/572057/original/file-20240130-24-4cw8wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/572057/original/file-20240130-24-4cw8wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/572057/original/file-20240130-24-4cw8wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/572057/original/file-20240130-24-4cw8wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/572057/original/file-20240130-24-4cw8wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/572057/original/file-20240130-24-4cw8wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/572057/original/file-20240130-24-4cw8wc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Better infrastructure could make e-scooters safer.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/melbourne-australia-november-20-2022-shared-2281810191">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Safety in numbers</h2>
<p>Data on the total number of rides and coverage, as well as recording of accidents, is needed. Access to this detailed information would offer a clearer understanding of the actual accident and injury risks associated with e-scooters than the news headlines.</p>
<p>And let’s not overlook the “<a href="https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/21/4/271.short">safety in numbers</a>” effect. In the world of urban mobility, e-scooters are currently “the small fish in a big pond”. As the demand for e-scooters grows, they may find their place in our city planning and infrastructure design. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014292123002210">Across Europe</a> cities with limited cycling infrastructure have seen the largest increase in e-scooter accidents. Cities with lots of bike lanes showed no significant effect. </p>
<p>The path to safer e-scootering might lie in the development of more friendly infrastructure. As the ridership grows, safety investments should follow, and that can make the future of e-scootering less risky for everyone.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/222148/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Milad Haghani receives funding from the Australian Research Council (Grant No. DE210100440).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Clara Zwack does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The growing popularity of e-scooters has seen a surge in related injuries. They may not be more common than cycling injuries – but they may be more serious.Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Mobility, Public Safety & Disaster Risk, UNSW SydneyClara Zwack, Lecturer in Physiotherapy, Swinburne University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2202892024-01-17T19:08:08Z2024-01-17T19:08:08ZCan we cut road deaths to zero by 2050? Current trends say no. What’s going wrong?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569430/original/file-20240115-21-x8ttlj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=19%2C108%2C4230%2C2714&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/profile-pretty-young-woman-sunglasses-driving-74843344">Wolf Avni/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Last year, <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiODE5NjMzMTItYTA1NS00ZDc3LTgyNjktZDZkZjc4N2Y1NDVkIiwidCI6ImFhMjFiNjQwLWJhYzItNDU2ZC04NTA1LWYyY2MwN2Y1MTc4NCJ9&pageName=ReportSection0c482aa770040dbbdc8e">1,266</a> Australians died from <a href="https://www.preventionweb.net/understanding-disaster-risk/terminology/hips/tl0052">road accidents</a> involving at least one car and a driver, passenger, pedestrian or cyclist. The <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-03/258735_australian_road_safety_foundation.pdf">economic cost of Australian road trauma</a> exceeds A$27 billion each year. That’s 1.8% of <a href="https://www.itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/australia-road-safety.pdf">Australia’s GDP</a>.</p>
<p>Australia has <a href="https://www.roadsafety.gov.au/nrss/fact-sheets/vision-zero-safe-system">committed to</a> an ambitious target of zero road deaths by 2050, known as <a href="https://visionzeronetwork.org/about/what-is-vision-zero/">Vision Zero</a>. Originating in Sweden in the late 1990s, Vision Zero is based on a simple principle: no loss of life or serious injury on roads is acceptable.</p>
<p>But while we were making good progress at reducing road trauma, this has stalled in recent years, with Australian road deaths rising to levels not seen in nearly a decade.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1736401167037747556"}"></div></p>
<p>If the current trend continues, meeting the Vision Zero target by 2050 appears impossible. So what’s going wrong?</p>
<h2>Progress and setbacks</h2>
<p>The journey towards reducing road trauma has had both progress and setbacks. In the early 1990s, roads were claiming more than <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_Australia_by_year">2,000 lives</a> in Australia each year. </p>
<p>Over the years, we managed to significantly reduce this number. By 2020, <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiNmQ4YzRkYjItNzNjOS00MzIwLTk4ZDEtODdjNTg0Nzk2NWM0IiwidCI6ImFhMjFiNjQwLWJhYzItNDU2ZC04NTA1LWYyY2MwN2Y1MTc4NCJ9">the annual road toll</a> had dropped to around 1,097, almost halving the figure from three decades prior. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/are-australias-roads-becoming-more-dangerous-heres-what-the-data-says-213240">Are Australia's roads becoming more dangerous? Here's what the data says</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>However, recently, we’ve witnessed a worrying reversal: three consecutive years of increasing road deaths. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569443/original/file-20240116-15-vvfgym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569443/original/file-20240116-15-vvfgym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=346&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569443/original/file-20240116-15-vvfgym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=346&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569443/original/file-20240116-15-vvfgym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=346&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569443/original/file-20240116-15-vvfgym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=435&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569443/original/file-20240116-15-vvfgym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=435&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569443/original/file-20240116-15-vvfgym.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=435&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In 2023, 1,266 people died in Australian road accidents.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Australian Road Deaths Database</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>With more progress, it gets harder to improve</h2>
<p>Over the years, through various safety initiatives and public awareness campaigns, we managed to significantly reduce road trauma. This includes <a href="https://extranet.who.int/roadsafety/death-on-the-roads/#country_or_area/AUS">measures</a> such as seatbelt, helmet and child-seat laws, as well as regulations around speeding, drink-driving and phone use. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/going-on-a-road-trip-this-summer-4-reasons-why-you-might-end-up-speeding-according-to-psychology-216352">Going on a road trip this summer? 4 reasons why you might end up speeding, according to psychology</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>We also have safer cars and infrastructure now. Modern car features and technologies – such as auto-emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind spot monitoring and airbags – are associated with <a href="https://www.tac.vic.gov.au/about-the-tac/media-and-events/news-and-events/2023/new-campaign-urging-car-buyers-to-prioritise-safety">a lower risk</a> of road accidents and fatalities. </p>
<p>With the significant benefits we have gained from these measures, additional safety measures will <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminishing_returns">naturally lead to smaller improvements</a>. But the toll is actually worsening.</p>
<h2>What role did the pandemic play?</h2>
<p>For the first time in decades, we’ve seen a sustained increase in road deaths in Australia and other countries such as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_vehicle_fatality_rate_in_U.S._by_year">United States</a>.</p>
<p>During the pandemic, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-01/car-shortages-new-and-used-vehicle-prices-increase-waiting-times/100256070">more people bought cars</a>, perhaps to avoid public transport. </p>
<p>However, this alone doesn’t fully explain the rise in road deaths. With more people working from home, there has been a reduction in daily commutes. Plus, the increase in <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/road_deaths_australia_annual_summaries">the number of vehicles</a> has been modest relative to the rise in road deaths. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569444/original/file-20240116-21-5bh50e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569444/original/file-20240116-21-5bh50e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=287&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569444/original/file-20240116-21-5bh50e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=287&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569444/original/file-20240116-21-5bh50e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=287&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569444/original/file-20240116-21-5bh50e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=361&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569444/original/file-20240116-21-5bh50e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=361&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569444/original/file-20240116-21-5bh50e.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=361&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This shows the number of road deaths in Australia normalised by the population size (left) and the number of registered vehicles (right).</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Australian Road Deaths Database</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>So the assumption that more people are dying because there are more cars is, at best, a partial explanation.</p>
<h2>Risky driving behaviours</h2>
<p>The post-pandemic data shows several indicators of declining road user behaviour and attitudes.</p>
<p>In New South Wales, for example, there has been a substantial increase in fines for minor <a href="https://roadsense.org.au/speeding-fines-nsw/">speeding offences</a>.</p>
<p>Across Australia, the <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/road_deaths_australia_annual_summaries">number of fatal crashes in 60–70 km/h zones</a> has been rising, from 241 associated deaths in 2020 to 315 in 2022. Speeding is likely to play a role, but it’s unclear to what extent.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567310/original/file-20231223-27-6g5vij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567310/original/file-20231223-27-6g5vij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567310/original/file-20231223-27-6g5vij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567310/original/file-20231223-27-6g5vij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567310/original/file-20231223-27-6g5vij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=453&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567310/original/file-20231223-27-6g5vij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=453&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567310/original/file-20231223-27-6g5vij.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=453&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This shows the number of road deaths in different speed limit areas.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/statistics/safety/fatal_road_crash_database">Australian Road Deaths Database</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-never-get-a-speeding-fine-again-and-maybe-save-a-childs-life-216347">How to never get a speeding fine again — and maybe save a child's life</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiNmQ4YzRkYjItNzNjOS00MzIwLTk4ZDEtODdjNTg0Nzk2NWM0IiwidCI6ImFhMjFiNjQwLWJhYzItNDU2ZC04NTA1LWYyY2MwN2Y1MTc4NCJ9">Remote and regional roads</a> still pose a significantly higher risk of death, relative to their population. The road death risk is about six times higher in outer regional areas and nine times higher in remote areas compared to major cities.</p>
<p>This could be <a href="https://www.mynrma.com.au/travel/road-trips/why-we-road-trip/rural-road-trip-advice">due to</a> a number of factors: speeding, risk-taking behaviours and <a href="https://www.roadsafety.gov.au/nrss/fact-sheets/remote-road-safety">others</a> such as poorer infrastructure, lower levels of enforcement, collisions with wildlife, long-trips and driver fatigue.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567311/original/file-20231223-19-baw92s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567311/original/file-20231223-19-baw92s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567311/original/file-20231223-19-baw92s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567311/original/file-20231223-19-baw92s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567311/original/file-20231223-19-baw92s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=453&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567311/original/file-20231223-19-baw92s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=453&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567311/original/file-20231223-19-baw92s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=453&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This shows the relative risk of death, based on the remoteness of the road.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/road_deaths_australia_annual_summaries">Australian Road Deaths Database</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Deadly crashes involving drivers without valid licences have also <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/road_deaths_australia_annual_summaries">risen</a>. In 2019, 96 deaths were reported in crashes involving operators without a valid licence. This rose to 116 in 2020 and 128 in 2021. </p>
<p>The number of road deaths involving a <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiNmQ4YzRkYjItNzNjOS00MzIwLTk4ZDEtODdjNTg0Nzk2NWM0IiwidCI6ImFhMjFiNjQwLWJhYzItNDU2ZC04NTA1LWYyY2MwN2Y1MTc4NCJ9">cyclist or motorcyclist not wearing a helmet</a> was 19 in 2019, but it jumped to 28 in 2020 and 2021, a 47% increase. </p>
<p>The proportion of road deaths with drugs detected in the operator’s system has been <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiZjU4YjhiMGYtNTljYS00ZjEyLTg5NTItN2YyOWExNDcwNTdmIiwidCI6ImFhMjFiNjQwLWJhYzItNDU2ZC04NTA1LWYyY2MwN2Y1MTc4NCJ9&pageName=ReportSection0872ca58aca00519e8e1">rising</a>, from 14% for drivers and 11% for motorcyclists in 2015. In 2021, these numbers rose to 17% for drivers and 28% for motorcyclists.</p>
<p>Another worrying trend is the increased risk of road death for the <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiNmQ4YzRkYjItNzNjOS00MzIwLTk4ZDEtODdjNTg0Nzk2NWM0IiwidCI6ImFhMjFiNjQwLWJhYzItNDU2ZC04NTA1LWYyY2MwN2Y1MTc4NCJ9">17–25 age group</a>. This age group is now at the highest risk of fatality on our roads, surpassing the over-75 age group.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="P-plate on a rear car window" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569431/original/file-20240115-27-x8ttlj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569431/original/file-20240115-27-x8ttlj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569431/original/file-20240115-27-x8ttlj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569431/original/file-20240115-27-x8ttlj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569431/original/file-20240115-27-x8ttlj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569431/original/file-20240115-27-x8ttlj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569431/original/file-20240115-27-x8ttlj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Too many young people are dying in road accidents.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/red-p-plate-on-rear-window-2281269445">Rusty Toadro/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Improving road safety</h2>
<p>For the foreseeable future, human drivers will continue to be the primary operators of vehicles, and <a href="https://www.nrspp.org.au/resources/human-error-in-road-accidents/">human factors</a> remain the biggest contributor to road trauma.</p>
<p>When it comes to saving lives on the roads, we need to monitor attitudes to road safety. One way is through regular surveys at state and national levels, tracking scores of behavioural indicators over time. Much like political parties using ongoing polls to track the political climate, regular tracking of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0925753514001623">the community road safety climate</a> allows us to proactively address challenges emerging from user behaviour, rather than waiting for alarming statistics.</p>
<p>Australia has some of the <a href="https://extranet.who.int/roadsafety/death-on-the-roads/#deaths">most progressive</a> road safety policies globally. But our ambitious targets demands focusing more on user behaviour. Road safety campaigns, delivered via TV and other media, can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0386111211000045">influence road safety behaviours</a>, with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001457511000030">tailored campaigns</a> targeting the specific demographics and behaviours of concern. Intensifying investment in these campaigns could be a key strategy in achieving our road safety goals.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220289/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Milad Haghani receives funding from the Australian Research Council (Grant No. DE210100440). </span></em></p>Australian road deaths have risen to levels not seen in nearly a decade. If the current trend continues, meeting the ‘Vision Zero’ target by 2050 appears impossible.Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Mobility, Public Safety & Disaster Risk, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2163522024-01-04T20:02:50Z2024-01-04T20:02:50ZGoing on a road trip this summer? 4 reasons why you might end up speeding, according to psychology<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563797/original/file-20231205-15-uikblc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=2%2C1%2C995%2C664&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/happy-cheerful-friends-taking-selfie-while-684497692">Dean Drobot/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Your bags are packed. You’ve sorted entertainment and snacks for your passengers and have squeezed all your holiday luggage in the car. You’re now ready to head off for your road trip – one hour after you meant to leave. There will be more traffic now, but maybe, if you put your foot down you can make up some time.</p>
<p>It might be tempting to speed. People do so for a number of reasons, not just because they’re running late.</p>
<p>Here’s why, what this does to your risk of being injured, and how to plan your road trip to minimise that risk.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-people-tailgate-a-psychology-expert-explains-whats-behind-this-common-and-annoying-driving-habit-193462">Why do people tailgate? A psychology expert explains what's behind this common (and annoying) driving habit</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<h2>1. You think you’ll get there faster</h2>
<p>Perhaps one of the biggest myths about speeding is it saves you a lot of time. In fact drivers <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457508001292">overestimate</a> how much time they save by driving faster. </p>
<p>In a study where global positioning systems were fitted to willing participants’ cars, on average drivers saved only <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001457515300750">two minutes</a> travel time each week by driving faster than the speed limit. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-explained-does-your-driving-speed-make-any-difference-to-your-cars-emissions-140246">Climate explained: does your driving speed make any difference to your car's emissions?</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<h2>2. You take risks, not just while driving</h2>
<p>Some drivers are more likely to speed than others. Repeat offenders are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001457514003108">more likely</a> to be men, younger or previously involved in a crash. </p>
<p>Drivers who tend to act on impulse and seek out varied “thrilling” experiences, or those who are quicker to get angry or aggressive, may also be <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437521000153">more likely</a> to speed. This is because these personality traits are linked to risky behaviours generally, and not just behind the wheel.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/speeding-drivers-keep-breaking-the-law-even-after-fines-and-crashes-new-research-161672">Speeding drivers keep breaking the law even after fines and crashes: new research</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<h2>3. You and your friends think speeding’s OK</h2>
<p>Drivers who usually speed see this as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457517301197?casa_token=3sz__7RJBIYAAAAA:nFPpScZ1dXssqWszKgmngWcGxpILPcv6iKjeg10m8KBp7hZSURs5kOkdgbnA8pILpDxZqytwa4dU">socially acceptable</a> and have friends or family who also speed. These drivers, when compared to those who do not speed, are less likely to consider speeding risky, or to feel they will get caught.</p>
<p>Likewise, drivers who intend to speed hold <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437523001032">similar beliefs</a>. They think speeding is socially acceptable, and the chances of being caught or having a crash are low.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/more-mad-max-than-max-safety-teenagers-dont-dream-of-safe-cars-47425">More Mad Max than max safety: teenagers don't dream of safe cars</a>
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<h2>4. You’re reacting to what’s happening today</h2>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563798/original/file-20231205-25-q8m40s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Couple arguing while driving" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563798/original/file-20231205-25-q8m40s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563798/original/file-20231205-25-q8m40s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563798/original/file-20231205-25-q8m40s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563798/original/file-20231205-25-q8m40s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563798/original/file-20231205-25-q8m40s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563798/original/file-20231205-25-q8m40s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563798/original/file-20231205-25-q8m40s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=425&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Argued with your partner today? That can affect your driving.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/emotional-middle-eastern-couple-having-conflict-2332630125">Prostock-studio/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Another important contributor to speeding is what’s <a href="https://acrs.org.au/files/papers/arsc/2017/Stephens_00104_EA.pdf">happening at the time</a>, and how drivers feel about it. </p>
<p>Time pressure due to running late or unexpected delays may lead to faster speeds. Speeding may also be part of an <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457523000192">aggressive driving style</a>, an aggressive reaction to frustrating driving situations, or something that happened before the driver got in the car.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/road-rage-why-normal-people-become-harmful-on-the-roads-60845">Road rage: why normal people become harmful on the roads</a>
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</em>
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<h2>Speeding’s risky (even just a little over the limit)</h2>
<p>The relationships between fast speeds and the risk of crashing may seem obvious.</p>
<p>However, even putting your foot down just a little bit jeopardises you and your passengers’ safety, as well as the safety of others on the road. </p>
<p>For instance, for every 5km/h over the speed limit in a 60km/h zone, your risk of being in a crash resulting in injury or death <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/migrated/roads/safety/publications/2002/pdf/Speed_Risk_3.pdf">doubles</a>.</p>
<p>Then there are the risks associated with higher-speed crashes, which make fatal and serious injuries more likely. Almost <a href="https://journalofroadsafety.org/article/67768-using-gps-probe-speed-data-to-estimate-the-attribution-of-speeding-on-casualty-crashes-a-case-study-in-queensland">one-third</a> of crashes where someone was killed or injured can be attributed to high speeds. That is when, just before the crash, one vehicle was driving 20km/h or more above the speed limit.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-never-get-a-speeding-fine-again-and-maybe-save-a-childs-life-216347">How to never get a speeding fine again — and maybe save a child's life</a>
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<h2>How to avoid speeding this summer</h2>
<p>If you’re planning a road trip this summer, you can:</p>
<ul>
<li>plan your route and allow extra time for unexpected delays</li>
<li>plan breaks if it’s a long drive. This helps reduce tiredness and the potential for frustration</li>
<li>phone ahead, if possible, to tell someone you will be late</li>
<li>consider the crash risks, and the high probability of serious injury in crashes associated with speeding</li>
<li>be aware that speed enforcement usually increases over the holiday period and can be “anywhere, anytime”</li>
<li>use your car’s driver speed-support systems, such as intelligent speed assist, or other systems that advise or regulate your speed. These help <a href="https://research.monash.edu/en/publications/repeat-speeders-trial-final-evaluation-report">reduce the risk</a> of speeding.</li>
</ul>
<p>You can also find ways to manage <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437522000998#">frustration or anger</a> that can lead to speeding:</p>
<ul>
<li>rethink the situation by asking yourself how much it really matters if you’re late</li>
<li>refocus your attention to prioritise your safety or that of your passengers and other road users or economy (sticking to the speed limit uses less fuel) </li>
<li>change route, or use navigation that tracks your estimated time of arrival</li>
<li>consider how your behaviours influence other drivers or your passengers</li>
<li>be aware that how you feel before getting in the car is likely to influence how you drive.</li>
</ul>
<p>Possibly my favourite strategy is to remember that someone is waiting for you and they want you to arrive safely.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216352/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amanda Stephens does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It can be easy to speed, even without meaning to. Here’s why and what you can do about it.Amanda Stephens, Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Accident Research Centre, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2170782023-12-26T20:30:44Z2023-12-26T20:30:44ZSeeing a lot of mobile speed cameras on your summer road trips? Here’s how they work<p>As you’re driving around this summer holidays, there’s every chance you’ll see a strange-looking white or yellow box on the side of the road. </p>
<p>It might have cameras protruding overhead, or be emblazoned with road safety slogans.</p>
<p>It’s a mobile road safety camera. It’ll catch you out doing everything from speeding, to using your phone while driving, to failing to wear a seat belt.</p>
<p>So how did these cameras come about, and how do they work?</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-never-get-a-speeding-fine-again-and-maybe-save-a-childs-life-216347">How to never get a speeding fine again — and maybe save a child's life</a>
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<h2>Road toll refusing to budge</h2>
<p>In Australia, around <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiODE5NjMzMTItYTA1NS00ZDc3LTgyNjktZDZkZjc4N2Y1NDVkIiwidCI6ImFhMjFiNjQwLWJhYzItNDU2ZC04NTA1LWYyY2MwN2Y1MTc4NCJ9&pageName=ReportSection0c482aa770040dbbdc8e">1,200</a> people die in car crashes every year. </p>
<p>The number of people seriously injured has risen from <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiMGVlZDM0YzQtNWI3Mi00YzAyLWI5YjUtZGQyYzc3YjJmMmY3IiwidCI6ImFhMjFiNjQwLWJhYzItNDU2ZC04NTA1LWYyY2MwN2Y1MTc4NCJ9">34,000 in 2011 to around 39,000</a> in 2019 (although this may partly be explained by changes in the way admissions to hospital are reported). </p>
<p>Alarmingly, these numbers are showing no sign of decline.</p>
<p>It is widely recognised that behaviours such as speeding, drink or drug driving, fatigue, distraction and dangerous driving increase the risk of a crash. </p>
<p>Failing to wear a seat belt can lead to <a href="https://casr.adelaide.edu.au/publications/list/?id=1214">more severe injuries</a> when a crash occurs. </p>
<p>To reduce the trauma on our roads caused by these behaviours, we need to increase compliance with the road rules and encourage safer driving. The use of safety cameras for enforcement has become a crucial part of the <a href="https://www.roadsafety.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/National%20Road%20Safety%20Action%20Plan%202023-25_0.pdf">road safety response</a>.</p>
<h2>A short history of safety cameras</h2>
<p>Safety cameras were first used in Australia in 1985 with the introduction of speed cameras in <a href="https://www.monash.edu/muarc/archive/our-publications/reports/muarc242">Victoria</a>. </p>
<p>Since then, the use of safety cameras has grown to include fixed red light and speed cameras, mobile speed cameras (that can be moved to different locations), and point-to-point cameras (also known as average speed cameras). </p>
<p>In the past three years, mobile phone detection cameras have been introduced in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the ACT and Tasmania, and will soon be operating in South Australia. They have also been trialled in Western Australia. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-people-tailgate-a-psychology-expert-explains-whats-behind-this-common-and-annoying-driving-habit-193462">Why do people tailgate? A psychology expert explains what's behind this common (and annoying) driving habit</a>
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<p>Currently, Queensland and Tasmania are the only states to also use these cameras for seat belt enforcement, although NSW intends to do so in <a href="https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/topics-tips/mobile-phones">2024</a>.</p>
<p>Safety cameras, whether looking at speed or other dangerous driving behaviours, can be either fixed or mobile. </p>
<p>Fixed cameras are permanently located at one spot and operate around the clock. They have primarily been used to target speeding and red light running. </p>
<p>Mobile cameras, those roadside trailers you might see, can be moved from one location to another and can be deployed virtually anywhere at any time. They are mainly used to target speeding and can also be mounted on a vehicle or tripod. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="TiktokEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.tiktok.com/@pulsehobart/video/7249652849427107073?lang=en"}"></div></p>
<p>Trailer-based safety cameras can be left unattended in place for longer periods and are usually equipped with security devices such as alarms and security cameras. They also have a secure housing (that’s sometimes bulletproof) to protect against tampering and vandalism.</p>
<p>Typically, they’re placed in areas with a history of crashes or where speeding, distraction, restraint use, or safety are of concern.</p>
<h2>So how do they actually work?</h2>
<p>Safety cameras use radar or laser to detect and measure vehicle speeds. Sensors embedded in the road are used to detect red light running. </p>
<p>Depending on how they are set up, safety cameras can monitor multiple vehicles across multiple lanes and approaching from opposite directions. </p>
<p>They use high-definition cameras that are effective in different lighting and weather conditions, including night, fog and heavy rain. Some are able to identify and enforce speed limits for different types of vehicles (like heavy vehicles). </p>
<p>They may also use automated number plate recognition capabilities that allow them to detect or identify so-called “hot list” vehicles that are of interest to police (stolen, unregistered, unlicensed owners, for example).</p>
<p>Fixed and mobile cameras enforce speeds in their immediate vicinity, while point-to-point cameras measure the average speed of vehicles between two points and as vehicles pass the camera locations at the beginning and end of the zone. Currently point-to-point enforcement is fixed, but it is likely that portable cameras will also be used in the <a href="https://casr.adelaide.edu.au/publications/list/?id=1942">future</a>.</p>
<p>Mobile phone detection cameras make use of high-definition cameras and infrared lighting that allow them to see through the windscreen and determine when someone is illegally using a mobile phone. They can also determine whether they are wearing their seat belt correctly. </p>
<p>These cameras can also measure vehicle speed and use number plate recognition to monitor vehicles. It means they can help enforce pretty much everything. They can be either fixed or mobile.</p>
<h2>Do they work to improve driver behaviour?</h2>
<p>Research indicates safety cameras do just what the label implies: improve safety. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://library.college.police.uk/docs/what-works/SR8-Speed-Cameras-2017.pdf">systematic review</a> of the effects of different types of speed cameras suggests they are effective at reducing average speeds and the number of vehicles speeding, and, more importantly, reduce serious injury and fatal crashes by around 20% each.</p>
<p>Studies examining the effectiveness of mobile phone cameras are yet to be undertaken. However, NSW experienced a substantial decline in mobile phone use in the three years following their <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/speed-camera-fines-mobile-phones-sydney-new-south-wales-roads/89ebaea3-18d4-4b03-9772-ace7bdc1bc5b">introduction</a>. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/speeding-is-more-common-among-people-regularly-exposed-to-content-encouraging-speeding-175066">Speeding is more common among people regularly exposed to content encouraging speeding</a>
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<p>Enforcement data also shows that the cameras are an efficient and effective method of<a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiZTAxY2EyOTAtYTdhMS00NTRiLWI0NDktM2U1ZDI0NzY0ZTU5IiwidCI6ImFhMjFiNjQwLWJhYzItNDU2ZC04NTA1LWYyY2MwN2Y1MTc4NCJ9">detecting infringements.</a></p>
<p>Merely relying on common sense, courtesy or self-interest will not be enough to reduce the trauma caused by bad driver behaviour. </p>
<p>Safety cameras work. They will continue to play an important part in reducing these behaviours and making our roads safer for everyone.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/217078/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The Centre for Automotive Safety Research receives funding from the government of South Australia. </span></em></p>As you travel around the country this holidays, you might see some roadside trailers or tripods. They’re mobile road safety cameras and they can catch out a range of bad driver behaviour.Simon Raftery, Research Fellow at the Centre for Automotive Safety Research, University of AdelaideLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2151312023-11-19T13:00:27Z2023-11-19T13:00:27Z‘Forever contaminant’ road salts pose an icy dilemma: Do we protect drivers or our fresh water?<p>As winter approaches, many communities in Canada and around the world arm themselves against icy roads and sidewalks with a time-honoured ally: road salt. For decades, applying road salt has been regarded as a simple but vital tool in countering the dangers of slippery road conditions, but the downsides of its use are apparent with implications that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-018-4060-2">extend beyond the cold months</a>. </p>
<p>Scientists have long known that the substance which has safeguarded us through the colder months poses a threat to aquatic life and drinking water quality. But now we are finding that this chemical also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157336">disrupts the delicate balance of oxygen and nutrients</a> in our freshwater lakes and ponds. </p>
<p>Road salt, commonly referred to as rock salt, is a mixture primarily composed of sodium chloride (NaCl). It is used to de-ice roads and highways during winter to enhance safety by preventing the formation of ice and reducing slippery conditions. Road salt persists as an environmental contaminant due to its chemical stability and the cyclic nature of its dispersal. </p>
<p>Introduced through activities like road de-icing, salts move from roads to surface water such as streams and lakes, groundwater, remaining indefinitely in the environment without significant degradation. The continual cycling and lack of substantial transformation underscore the long-term impact of sodium chloride as a “forever contaminant.”</p>
<p>With a growing awareness of its ecological repercussions, a critical dilemma emerges. Do we prioritize driver safety or acquatic ecosystem health?</p>
<h2>Negative impacts revisited</h2>
<p>The detrimental effects of road salt on aquatic ecosystems and drinking water supplies <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150289">have long been recognized</a>. Its heavy application during winter months leads to a buildup of road salt ions in both soil and water bodies, altering their natural chemical composition. </p>
<p>These elevated salt concentrations can harm freshwater organisms and vegetation, change soil structure, and, when <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166466">seeping into groundwater</a>, compromise the potable water supply of nearby communities.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/winter-road-salting-has-year-round-consequences-173621">Winter road salting has year-round consequences</a>
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<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157336">Recent research</a> has shed light on a less conspicuous yet equally significant consequence of road salt usage: its contribution to oxygen depletion in lakes. The occurrence of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JG007558">very low oxygen concentrations, or hypoxia, in a lake is generally attributed to an excessive input of nutrients, especially that of phosphorus</a>. </p>
<p>Nutrient enrichment can trigger algal blooms that, in turn, lower the oxygen level in the lake’s deeper waters. The continued expansion of hypoxic conditions deteriorates the lake’s water quality and may ultimately cause the die-off of most aquatic life. This nutrient-driven process, <a href="https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-14-3585-2017">known as eutrophication</a>, is affecting the ecological health of a growing number of lakes around the world.</p>
<h2>Salt and oxygen in water</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-16637">Phosphorus</a>, the nutrient frequently implicated in lake eutrophication, plays a multifaceted role in this scenario. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157336">Salinization</a> increases the density of the water reducing the mixing of the lake waters and. Consequently, this reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the lake’s depths. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/road-salt-makes-winter-driving-safer-but-what-does-it-do-to-the-environment-87860">Road salt makes winter driving safer, but what does it do to the environment?</a>
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<p>Oxygen depletion, paradoxically, favours the remobilization of phosphorus from the sediments accumulating at the bottom of the lake. That is, the sediments become an increasingly important <em>internal</em> source of phosphorus, escalating the nutrient enrichment of the lake. </p>
<p>In that way, salinization — driven by extensive road salt application — <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157336">intensifies eutrophication symptoms</a> that are usually associated with phosphorus supplied to lakes from external sources in the surrounding landscape.</p>
<h2>Navigating the saline challenge</h2>
<p>Canada has been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151717">proactive in responding</a> to eutrophication. For instance, reduced phosphorus pollution in Lake Erie in the 1980s and 1990s led to significant <a href="https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR025019">water quality improvements</a>. However, addressing accelerating salinization of lakes requires new thinking and innovative solutions that recognize the complexity of the issue. It’s not just de-icers, such as road salts, that need to be considered. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2018.0019">Other sources of salt</a>, such as agricultural runoff, discharges from water softeners and other domestic activities and drainage from mine waste and geological salt deposits, are all part of the problem. Salinization is a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1620211114">threat to water resources globally</a>, not just those of cold regions.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">A brief overview of the process of eutrophication, produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Chloride, a key component of road salt, has earned the moniker of a “forever contaminant” <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.242">due to its persistence in soil and water systems</a>. When introduced into the environment, chloride ions readily dissolve into water <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.242">where they tend to remain</a>. </p>
<p>Over time, chloride not only accumulates in surface water bodies <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166466">but also in groundwater</a>. In fact, ground (or subsurface) water has been identified as a persistent source of chloride to surface freshwater bodies, especially during the summer months. </p>
<p>While <a href="https://doi.org/10.2166/wqrjc.2011.105">proactive management practices have been introduced</a>, the accumulation of chloride and other problematic <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-6593.2012.00371.x">salt ions</a>, including sodium, in soil and water will require expensive and <a href="https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2009.0108">time-consuming restoration efforts</a>. </p>
<h2>Paving the path to solutions</h2>
<p>To mitigate the impacts of salinization, evidence-based approaches are urgently required. Solutions and policy recommendations must promote the reduction of salt runoff from road salt applications and other sources, and establish effective and comprehensive monitoring programs. </p>
<p>We have much to learn from how we’ve successfully managed excessive nutrient pollution — these lessons can help inform salt management strategies that work hand in hand with water quality and climate change solutions.</p>
<p>One potential alternative to the application of road salts is to use other de-icers. This requires a cautious stance because, as history teaches us, replacing one troublesome chemical with another often comes with unexpected ecological consequences. </p>
<p>Thorough examination and research are vital to ensure that alternatives don’t inadvertently introduce new threats.</p>
<h2>Protecting people and ecosystems</h2>
<p>The stakes are high when it comes to road salts: compromised drinking water, shrinking aquatic habitats and long-term pollution from legacy salt stores in soil and groundwater requiring costly remediation. It’s imperative that research, investment and public awareness converge to address this challenge holistically. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/to-make-less-harmful-road-salts-were-studying-natural-antifreezes-produced-by-fish-153087">To make less-harmful road salts, we're studying natural antifreezes produced by fish</a>
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<p>The impacts of road salt’s application extend far beyond the icy surfaces it’s intended to protect us from. As winter approaches, policy should work towards protecting our ecosystems and the many services they provide.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215131/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jovana received support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Strategic Partnerships Grant (STPGP 521515-18), and the Lake Futures project and Managing Urban Eutrophication Risks under Climate Change project within the Global Water Futures (GWF) program funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>David L Rudolph receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks and the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Fereidoun received support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Strategic Partnerships Grant (STPGP 521515-18), and the Lake Futures project and Managing Urban Eutrophication Risks under Climate Change project within the Global Water Futures (GWF) program funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nancy received support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Strategic Partnerships Grant (STPGP 521515-18), and the Lake Futures project and Managing Urban Eutrophication Risks under Climate Change project within the Global Water Futures (GWF) program funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Philippe received support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Strategic Partnerships Grant (STPGP 521515-18), and the Lake Futures project and Managing Urban Eutrophication Risks under Climate Change project within the Global Water Futures (GWF) program funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jiangyue Ju does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Increasing awareness of the dangers ‘forever chemical’ road salts pose to our fresh water systems highlights the urgent importance of finding new approaches to de-icing our roads.Jovana Radosavljevic, Postdoctoral Fellow, Ecohydrology Research Group, University of WaterlooDavid L Rudolph, Professor of Hydrogeology, Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of WaterlooFereidoun Rezanezhad, Research Associate Professor, Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of WaterlooJiangyue Ju, PhD Student in Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of WaterlooNancy Goucher, Knowledge Mobilization Specialist, University of WaterlooPhilippe Van Cappellen, Professor of Biogeochemistry and Canada Excellence Research Chair Laureate in Ecohydrology, University of WaterlooLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2159832023-11-09T22:00:18Z2023-11-09T22:00:18ZSUV and ute sales slowed due to NZ’s Clean Car Discount – expect that to reverse under a new government<p>With National, ACT and NZ First locked in coalition negotiations, various urgent and climate-related transport challenges hang in the balance.</p>
<p>Based on pre-election rhetoric, the Clean Car Discount (CCD) scheme may soon be gone. While popular with the public, National has criticised the electric vehicle rebate portion as a “Tesla subsidy”, and the fees charged for high-emissions vehicles as a “ute tax”.</p>
<p>Transport agency Waka Kotahi has already put funding for cycling, pedestrian and public transport initiatives <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/501695/waka-kotahi-puts-funding-for-cycling-walking-and-public-transport-initiatives-on-hold">on hold</a>, pending a “clear direction from the incoming government on its transport investment priorities”.</p>
<p>If the CCD does end, it’s likely the upward trend in SUV and ute purchases, which lost steam with the introduction of the programme, will once again pick up. Combined with any lost momentum on developing other transport modes, the impact on road safety and emissions reduction could be significant.</p>
<h2>Utes and SUVs take over</h2>
<p>Big vehicles already dominate New Zealand streets. </p>
<p>In 2009, over 75% of annual passenger vehicle registrations were for small cars, sedans and hatchbacks. SUVs and utes made up just 20% of imports.</p>
<p>By 2022, 87,669 (53%) of the 164,813 <a href="https://www.mia.org.nz/Sales-Data/Vehicle-Sales">new vehicles sold</a> in New Zealand were SUVs of some variety, and 35,056 (21%) were utes. All other vehicles, including passenger cars, vans and buses, comprised about 25% of new registrations.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/where-did-the-cars-go-how-heavier-costlier-suvs-and-utes-took-over-australias-roads-215774">Where did the cars go? How heavier, costlier SUVs and utes took over Australia's roads</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Four of the five top-selling vehicles in the passenger segment in 2022 were utes and SUVs. They included (in order of sales volume) the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi Outlander and Mitsubishi Triton. Combined, these four big vehicles accounted for 40% of new registrations.</p>
<p>The low fuel economy of these vehicles directly translates to higher carbon emissions. Depending on the model, the <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/129416507/first-drive-review-ford-ranger#:%7E:text=Powertrains%3A%20single%20turbo%202.0,drive%20single%20cab%29%20to%2011.5L%2F100km">Ford Ranger</a> has a fuel economy rating between 7.6 litres per 100 kilometres and 11.5 L/100km; the <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/122944813/first-drive-review-toyota-hilux#:%7E:text=Powertrains%3A%202.8,5L%2F100km">Toyota Hilux</a> has a range of 7.1 L/100km to 9.7 L/100km.</p>
<p>By comparison, the best-selling conventionally fuelled compact car, the <a href="https://www.carsguide.com.au/suzuki/swift/2022#:%7E:text=Suzuki%20Swift%202022%20Fuel%20consumption&text=The%20Suzuki%20Swift%20currently%20offers,4.6%20to%206.1L%2F100km.">Suzuki Swift</a>, manages a significantly more efficient 4.6 to 6.1 L/100km.</p>
<hr>
<hr>
<h2>Blind spots and safety</h2>
<p>SUVs and utes are also much taller, weigh more, have higher grilles and bonnets, and have more blind spots than more compact vehicles. This makes them more dangerous in urban environments, for pedestrians and cyclists in particular. </p>
<p>In a crash, a vulnerable pedestrian is more likely to suffer a direct strike to the head from a ute or SUV than from a smaller car, where they are more likely to roll onto the bonnet and hit their head with less blunt force.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/four-reasons-suvs-are-less-safe-and-worse-for-the-environment-than-a-regular-car-183780">Four reasons SUVs are less safe and worse for the environment than a regular car</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>A recent <a href="https://www.vias.be/fr/newsroom/des-voitures-plus-lourdes-plus-hautes-et-plus-puissantes-pour-une-securite-routiere-a-deux-vitesses-/">report from the Vias Institute</a> in Brussels found that if a ute hits a pedestrian or cyclist, “the risk of fatal injuries [increases] by nearly 200%”.</p>
<p>The same report showed ute occupants are 65% less likely than other vehicle type occupants to suffer a serious or fatal injury in a crash. Safety is one of the main reasons SUV and ute owners cite for buying a larger vehicle. </p>
<p>Conversely, the risk of serious or fatal injury for occupants of smaller cars that collide with utes increases by 50%.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1541231587865419777"}"></div></p>
<h2>Problems with a technological fix</h2>
<p>SUV and ute manufacturers have recognised the increased danger blind spots pose to vulnerable road users. New technology has been added to the vehicles, including proximity sensors, 360-degree cameras and automatic emergency braking (AEB).</p>
<p>The technology is geared primarily to avoid collisions with other vehicles and improve safety for vehicle occupants. Studies have shown it can reduce vehicle-to-vehicle collisions by up to 25%.</p>
<p>The record with pedestrians and cyclists is less clear. But one obvious problem is the inability of the technology to function when the vehicle is turning, operating in adverse weather conditions, or at a very slow speed.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/70-years-of-road-based-policies-created-todays-problems-does-nationals-transport-plan-add-up-210696">70 years of road-based policies created today's problems – does National’s transport plan add up?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>A <a href="https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/suvs-other-large-vehicles-often-hit-pedestrians-while-turning">recent study</a> from the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety showed fatal collisions with crossing pedestrians were more likely when a vehicle is turning than when it was not.</p>
<p>The rates were about twice as high for SUVs, nearly three times as high for vans and minivans, and nearly four times as high for pickups as they were for cars.</p>
<p>The Ford Ranger’s AEB system “<a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.ancap.com.au/app/public/assets/6b58e0fa84417a73fa0210996d8c4be84e86603b/original.pdf?1685495896">does not react to pedestrians in turning scenarios</a>”, according a safety testing report from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), the independent vehicle-testing organisation used by Australia and New Zealand. The Toyota Hilux and Mitsubishi Triton have no ANCAP data on turning.</p>
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<h2>Danger and discouragement</h2>
<p>Utes and SUVs also tend to have more blind spots than smaller cars when reversing. In New Zealand, five children are killed every year in driveway “backover” incidents.</p>
<p>As far back as 2011, before the big shift to larger vehicles, a <a href="https://media.starship.org.nz/download-safekids-position-paper-child-driveway-run-over-injuries-2011%3E%3E/Safekids_NZ_Position_Paper_Child_Driveway_Run_Over_Injuries_FINAL_Web.pdf">Safekids New Zealand report</a> on child driveway injuries found: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Cars run over more children than any other type of vehicle, but light trucks, commercial vans, four-wheeled drive and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are consistently identified as being over-represented in the numbers of vehicles involved.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>According to ANCAP safety tests, none of the four top-selling SUVs and utes in New Zealand have AEB systems tested or operated in backover scenarios.</p>
<p>Pedestrians and cyclists are over-represented in road deaths. Last year was particularly deadly for vulnerable road users, with cyclists making up <a href="https://www.transport.govt.nz/statistics-and-insights/safety-road-deaths/">5% of all road deaths</a> despite accounting for only about <a href="https://www.transport.govt.nz/statistics-and-insights/household-travel/sheet/how">1% of all trips</a>.</p>
<p>The sad irony is that the dominance of SUVs and utes <a href="https://theconversation.com/ever-larger-cars-and-trucks-are-causing-a-safety-crisis-on-us-streets-heres-how-communities-can-fight-back-206382">reduces the ability</a> of communities to create safer streets that would encourage more walking and cycling. If the new government reverses transport policies aimed at encouraging walking and cycling and reducing the prevalence of large vehicles, those efforts will be set back even further.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215983/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Timothy Welch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>With the Clean Car Discount under threat, more large, polluting and dangerous vehicles will hit New Zealand roads. That will further discourage walking and cycling.Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata RauLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2163472023-11-09T02:06:59Z2023-11-09T02:06:59ZHow to never get a speeding fine again — and maybe save a child’s life<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555784/original/file-20231025-29-gw57iy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C205%2C4025%2C2673&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Matthew Mclaughlin</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>What if our cars didn’t allow us to speed? Or, at least, strongly encouraged us not to speed?</p>
<p>We could help motorists avoid speeding — and therefore reduce <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457511000923">emissions and fuel use</a>, improve <a href="https://www.rsa.ie/docs/default-source/road-safety/r4.1-research-reports/intelligent-speed-assistance/intelligent-speed-assistance-a-review-of-the-literature-2018.pdf">traffic flow</a>, reduce <a href="https://casr.adelaide.edu.au/casrpubfile/2520/CASR176.pdf">crashes</a>, lower <a href="https://www.cis.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/32-4-tooth-richard.pdf">insurance costs</a>, make streets <a href="https://www.healthystreets.com/">feel safer</a> to walk and cycle – and totally avoid speeding fines. </p>
<p>Reducing speeding is <a href="https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/system/files/media/documents/2023/NSW%20Road%20Safety%20Strategy%202012-2021.pdf">crucial</a> if we are to reduce the rising road toll. More than <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiODE5NjMzMTItYTA1NS00ZDc3LTgyNjktZDZkZjc4N2Y1NDVkIiwidCI6ImFhMjFiNjQwLWJhYzItNDU2ZC04NTA1LWYyY2MwN2Y1MTc4NCJ9&pageName=ReportSection0c482aa770040dbbdc8e">1,200 people were killed</a> on Australian roads in the past year. </p>
<p>It’s no wonder Australians want this technology – <a href="https://towardszero.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-07/1.%202026%20RSAP%20Community%20Attitudes%20Survey%20-%20Ipsos%20Report%20FINAL.PDF">81%</a> believe “intelligent speed assist” technology is important for making roads safer.</p>
<h2>Technology to stop speeding</h2>
<p>“Intelligent speed assist” is the name of the <a href="https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/77990533-9144-11e7-b92d-01aa75ed71a1">low-cost</a> technology that could save lives every year by reducing speeding. </p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557229/original/file-20231102-23-xlfa90.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Graphic explaining what intelligent speed assist does, how it works and the benefits" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557229/original/file-20231102-23-xlfa90.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557229/original/file-20231102-23-xlfa90.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=855&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557229/original/file-20231102-23-xlfa90.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=855&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557229/original/file-20231102-23-xlfa90.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=855&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557229/original/file-20231102-23-xlfa90.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1074&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557229/original/file-20231102-23-xlfa90.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1074&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557229/original/file-20231102-23-xlfa90.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1074&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="attribution"><a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<hr>
<p>The idea of helping drivers to avoid speeding is more than <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/tech.2007.0085">100 years old</a>. But early speed-limiting technologies proposed a top speed limit (similar to <a href="https://scooterhut.com.au/blogs/blogs/australian-e-scooter-laws-summarised">the way e-scooters are regulated</a> in Australia), rather than allowing motorists the option to break the speed limit.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1344062199501766656"}"></div></p>
<p>If we don’t do intelligent speed assist, what’s the alternative? Currently, we must constantly monitor speed limits and adjust our speed accordingly to avoid speeding. That means looking often at our speedometers. </p>
<p>There is <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-09892-001">some research</a> to suggest continually taking our eyes off the road to review our speedometer could be dangerous. </p>
<p>Given how often speed limits can change on a route, and that we all make mistakes, it’s no wonder speeding is so common. </p>
<h2>Will it work?</h2>
<p>Installing intelligent speed assist in all cars could prevent at least <a href="https://acrs.org.au/files/arsrpe/Road%20Safety%20Benefits%20of%20Intelligent%20Speed%20Adaptation%20for%20Australia.pdf">8%</a> and up to <a href="https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/what-we-do/road-safety-technology">19%</a> of all crashes Australia-wide. This represents up to <a href="https://theconversation.com/despite-lockdowns-1-142-australians-including-66-kids-died-on-our-roads-in-the-past-year-heres-what-we-need-to-do-170021">200</a> lives saved per year. </p>
<p>A NSW Centre for Road Safety <a href="https://archive.acrs.org.au/article/the-new-south-wales-intelligent-speed-adaptation-trial-further-results/">trial</a> found advisory intelligent speed systems reduced speeding in 89% of vehicles, across more than 1.9 million kilometres of testing.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1709148094666084383"}"></div></p>
<p>Intelligent speed assist is not yet a perfect system. Hurdles to overcome include:</p>
<ul>
<li>different speed sign <a href="https://austroads.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/368001/AP-R627-20_Guidance_and_Readability_Criteria_for_Traffic_Sign_Recognition_Systems_Reading_Electronic_Signs.pdf">coverage</a> and designs from state to state</li>
<li>maintaining an accurate map of speed limits across Australia for GPS</li>
<li>potential over-reliance on the feature in varying driving conditions, such as wet weather, corners and so on. </li>
</ul>
<p>But shouldn’t we be doing everything we can to overcome these hurdles, to make such a life-saving, child-saving technology work as well as it can?</p>
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<h2>What’s already been done?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/11/08/safer-cars-in-the-eu/">Legislation</a> in 2022 has made intelligent speed assist technology mandatory for all new cars sold in the European Union. </p>
<p>In Australia, if you drive a relatively new car, you may already have the option of intelligent speed assist. For example, if you drive a new <a href="https://www.ford.com.au/support/how-tos/search/How%20do%20I%20Use%20a%20Speed%20Limiter">Ford</a>, you can activate its Intelligent Speed Limiter. </p>
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<p>Intelligent speed assist adds to a growing list of in-vehicle safety technologies, such <a href="https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-advice/what-is-autonomous-emergency-braking-or-aeb-51459">auto emergency braking</a>, <a href="https://howsafeisyourcar.com.au/safety-features/lane-keep-assist">lane keep assist</a> and <a href="https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-advice/what-is-blind-spot-monitoring-51471">blind spot monitoring</a>. We know <a href="https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/3124113/UCSR-2022-Update-MUARC-Report-362-,-Dec-2022-Final.pdf">older vehicles</a> that lack such technologies are involved in more crashes. </p>
<h2>What about older vehicles?</h2>
<p>Cars have an average age of <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/tourism-and-transport/motor-vehicle-census-australia/latest-release#average-age">10.4</a> years. So <a href="https://www.eiturbanmobility.eu/projects/intelligent-speed-assistance-isa-retrofit-solutions-for-cities-and-regions">retrofitting older cars</a> with intelligent speed assist technology has been <a href="https://www.eiturbanmobility.eu/projects/intelligent-speed-assistance-isa-retrofit-solutions-for-cities-and-regions">trialled</a>. Despite the European <a href="https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/11/08/safer-cars-in-the-eu/">legislation</a>, there’s no expectation of a wide-scale retro-fitting program.</p>
<p>It is common, though, to retrofit fleet cars such as government and company vehicles with intelligent speed assist. This <a href="https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/71726/1/hdl_71726.pdf">improves fleet safety</a> and distributes new technologies when these vehicles are sold on the second-hand market. </p>
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<h2>‘But I only speed a little bit’</h2>
<p><a href="https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/2ewb9/">Research</a> shows most people think they’re better-than-average drivers. More than <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/migrated/roads/safety/publications/2018/pdf/community_att_17.pdf">one in four</a> Australians think it’s ok to speed if driving “safely”.</p>
<p>But you can’t speed and drive safely. For every 1km/h increase in speed, there is a <a href="https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/documents/health-topics/road-traffic-injuries/un-road-safety-week/speed-management-flyer.pdf?sfvrsn=3f6181fe_3">4%</a> increase in fatal crashes. If everyone was to increase their speed by just 1km/h, we could expect an <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/road_trauma_2022.pdf">extra 48 deaths</a> a year.</p>
<p>Road deaths remain the <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/life-expectancy-death/deaths-in-australia/contents/leading-causes-of-death">number one</a> killer of children in Australia and speed is the <a href="https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/system/files/media/documents/2023/NSW%20Road%20Safety%20Strategy%202012-2021.pdf">most common</a> factor in a crash. </p>
<p>Current measures to reduce speeding haven’t gone far enough. Despite <a href="https://arsf.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/FFF-2020-National-Fact-Sheet.pdf">two in three</a> Australian drivers admitting to speeding every week, only <a href="https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/car-insurance/research/speeding-statistics.html">one in ten</a> got a speeding fine last year. </p>
<p>If you are worried about the government losing out on revenue, don’t. Road traffic crashes cost the Australian economy <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/social-cost-of-road-crashes.pdf">A$27 billion</a> a year. Speed camera fines generate just <a href="https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/australians-paid-1billion-in-speeding-fines-last-financial-year">$1.5 billion</a> a year. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/despite-lockdowns-1-142-australians-including-66-kids-died-on-our-roads-in-the-past-year-heres-what-we-need-to-do-170021">Despite lockdowns, 1,142 Australians, including 66 kids, died on our roads in the past year. Here's what we need to do</a>
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<h2>3 actions to get started</h2>
<p>Intelligent speed assist is not a silver bullet. But it is one of <a href="https://theconversation.com/despite-lockdowns-1-142-australians-including-66-kids-died-on-our-roads-in-the-past-year-heres-what-we-need-to-do-170021">five crucial actions</a> that can make zero road deaths possible. More than <a href="https://www.dekra-vision-zero.com/map">200 cities</a> around the world have already achieved this goal at least five times for a calendar year since 2009. </p>
<p>Here are three actions to get started: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>install intelligent speed assist in all all public buses and government fleet cars – the NSW government fleet, for example, has <a href="https://www.governmentnews.com.au/22647/#:%7E:text=The%20largest%20fleet%20is%20that,leased%20and%20half%20are%20owned.">25,000 cars</a></p></li>
<li><p>require intelligent speed assist for a 5-star <a href="https://www.ancap.com.au/">ANCAP</a> safety rating</p></li>
<li><p>adopt the EU <a href="https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2019/11/08/safer-cars-in-the-eu/">legislation</a> in Australia to require intelligent speed assist in all new cars.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>We have an urgent problem, we have the technology, we have the evidence it works, so what’s stopping us using it to save lives on our roads?</p>
<p><em>The authors have provided <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fFF6PQdx5yj3Q5PWOQq_nclRF5THV_Xk">footage online</a> of intelligent speed assist in action, for free reuse.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216347/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matthew 'Tepi' Mclaughlin receives research funding from the Australian government's Medical Research Future Fund and the government of Western Australia's Healthway. He also receives salary support through the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course. He is a member of the Asia-Pacific Society for Physical Activity and a member of the Active Transport Advisory Group of Westcycle. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Courtney Babb receives funding from the Government of Western Australia, via the Department of Transport, and the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI). He is a member of the WA Greens.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Paul Roberts receives funding from: 1. the government of Western Australia via the Road Safety Commission of Western Australia funding of the Western Australian Centre for Road Safety; 2. the Australian Office of Road Safety.</span></em></p>Most drivers admit to speeding and it’s causing an increasing number of deaths on our roads. Using intelligent speed assist technology can reverse this deadly trend.Matthew Mclaughlin, Adjunct Research Fellow, The University of Western AustraliaCourtney Babb, Lecturer in Urban & Regional Planning, Curtin UniversityPaul Roberts, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Western Australian Centre for Road Safety Research, The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2144762023-11-02T00:51:24Z2023-11-02T00:51:24ZOur children are victims of road violence. We need to talk about the deadly norms of car use<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556030/original/file-20231026-21-v3jamv.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=298%2C0%2C3236%2C2160&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/female-kid-running-front-driving-car-1537350902">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The deaths and injuries caused by car drivers are an everyday occurrence. This road violence has become normalised. We take it for granted as the price we have to pay to use our cars. </p>
<p>Globally, car crashes are the world’s <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/road-traffic-injuries">leading cause of death</a> for people aged five to 25. In Australia, road deaths included <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/statistics/safety/fatal_road_crash_database">293 people in this age group</a> in 2022, a rise from 281 in 2019 and 276 in 2018. </p>
<p>These deaths are stark reminders of the structural problem with a deeply entrenched, car-dominated culture. The huge numbers of deaths and injuries on our roads are a result of choosing to build our society around cars. This degree of harm does not seem to draw the same level of outrage as any other form of violence would. </p>
<p>As we argue in a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14733285.2023.2270444">newly published paper</a>, these tragedies will continue unless we recognise the consequences of our ongoing misguided choices. We must act with the urgency this situation deserves.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/despite-lockdowns-1-142-australians-including-66-kids-died-on-our-roads-in-the-past-year-heres-what-we-need-to-do-170021">Despite lockdowns, 1,142 Australians, including 66 kids, died on our roads in the past year. Here's what we need to do</a>
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<h2>Lives lost and lives blighted</h2>
<p>These figures represent real people and real lives. </p>
<p>In March 2023, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-22/teenagers-hit-by-truck-on-kensington-road-at-marryatville/102128556">a truck hit two 16-year-olds</a> who were crossing at pedestrian lights in front of their inner-city Adelaide school. Both were rushed to hospital with serious injuries.</p>
<p>Three months later, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-22/sa-woman-in-serious-condition-after-being-hit-by-car-in-adelaide/102512202">a four-wheel-drive hit a 38-year-old woman and her six-year-old daughter</a> who were crossing the street next to their school in the Adelaide CBD. The woman was pinned under the car. The six-year-old was also dragged under the car and pulled out by another parent.</p>
<p>In September 2023, <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/boy-8-critically-injured-after-car-hits-children-playing-in-melbourne-s-west-20230825-p5dzha.html">a car hit an eight-year-old boy</a> who was playing soccer with his three-year-old brother in a suburban Melbourne laneway. He was trapped between two vehicles for about 20 minutes. He had life-threatening injuries.</p>
<h2>Not some isolated accidents</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262516129/fighting-traffic/">underlying causes</a> of car crashes and their link to planning and transport policies continue to be ignored. </p>
<p>These policies have promoted <a href="https://theconversation.com/were-still-fighting-city-freeways-after-half-a-century-127722">car-based infrastructure</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/urban-sprawl-is-not-a-dirty-word-if-the-priority-is-to-meet-all-kids-needs-it-should-be-208670">urban sprawl</a>. Public transport and active transport such as walking and cycling have <a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-are-short-changed-when-it-comes-to-transport-funding-in-australia-92574">been neglected</a>.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/urban-sprawl-is-not-a-dirty-word-if-the-priority-is-to-meet-all-kids-needs-it-should-be-208670">Urban sprawl is 'not a dirty word'? If the priority is to meet all kids' needs, it should be</a>
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<p>Children are the victims of our obsession with allowing heavy, fast-moving vehicles in our everyday spaces, including around schools. </p>
<p>The freedom of car drivers comes at the expense of the freedom of all others. At the same time, the environment and society bear most of the costs of this car culture. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/japans-old-enough-and-australias-bluey-remind-us-our-kids-are-no-longer-free-range-but-we-can-remake-our-neighbourhoods-187698">Japan's Old Enough and Australia's Bluey remind us our kids are no longer ‘free range’ – but we can remake our neighbourhoods</a>
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<h2>A form of victim-blaming</h2>
<p>In the Adelaide inner-city crash in March, responses included pruning a tree, so it didn’t obscure a traffic light, and <a href="https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/new-safety-measures-will-be-installed-at-pedestrian-crossing-outside-marryatville-high-school/news-story/2bd9d8cb0527b43c7892fe721910d5bb">auditing pedestrian crossings</a>. Red-and-white-striped wrapping was added to the traffic light poles, along with signs telling pedestrians to “stop, look and listen” before stepping on a street. </p>
<p>These inconsequential modifications mostly target the potential victims, which highlights our <a href="https://darajapress.com/publication/dark-pr-how-corporate-disinformation-harms-our-health-and-the-environment">state of denial</a> of the role of cars. It reinforces the privileged position of cars and their drivers –children are the ones who need to be disciplined and reminded to be more alert and careful around cars. </p>
<p>It’s essentially a form of <a href="https://darajapress.com/publication/dark-pr-how-corporate-disinformation-harms-our-health-and-the-environment">victim blaming</a>. Instead of reducing the source of violence, we tell everybody to be more careful around it.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Child on road flings out arms as car approaches – as seen through the windscreen" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556039/original/file-20231026-23-vcv9le.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556039/original/file-20231026-23-vcv9le.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556039/original/file-20231026-23-vcv9le.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556039/original/file-20231026-23-vcv9le.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556039/original/file-20231026-23-vcv9le.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556039/original/file-20231026-23-vcv9le.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556039/original/file-20231026-23-vcv9le.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">In focusing our response to road trauma on telling children to be more careful, we are essentially victim-blaming.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/on-windshield-view-motion-image-children-444608659">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Normalisation of crashes must stop</h2>
<p>Neglecting the root causes of these crashes stops us taking more effective action.</p>
<p>We could, for instance, reduce the space allocated to cars by creating car-free or no-parking zones. We could reduce the speed limits for cars to be closer to the average speeds of walking (6 kilometres per hour — the accepted speed in most holiday parks) or cycling (15-20km/h). And we could create disincentives such as higher <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-26/a-new-way-to-curb-the-rise-of-oversized-pickups-and-suvs">registration</a> and <a href="https://www.drive.com.au/news/suv-drivers-in-paris-higher-parking-fees/">parking fees</a> to discourage the use of increasingly large vehicles, which multiply the collision risks for those outside them.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/busted-5-myths-about-30km-h-speed-limits-in-australia-160547">Busted: 5 myths about 30km/h speed limits in Australia</a>
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<p>Car crashes are also normalised through the <a href="https://scribepublications.com.au/books-authors/books/movement-9781922310798">way in which they are brought to public attention</a>. We stop hearing about these crashes a few days after they occur, and we rarely hear about their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198220300208">long-term and far-reaching effects</a>. </p>
<p>In the crash involving a woman and her six-year-old, the girl was reported to be lucky to avoid severe injuries. Similarly, it was reported the younger brother of the boy trapped between two cars escaped serious injury. </p>
<p>These reports do not capture the trauma of a six-year-old who heard her mother’s screams while both were forced under a moving two-tonne metal object. They overlook the impact on a three-year-old who sees his brother’s body being crushed between two cars. </p>
<p>These reports also rarely capture the trauma other family members and friends endure, probably for the rest of their lives. And don’t forget the severe impacts on the lives of the driver, first responders and bystanders. </p>
<p>The rippling impacts of these crashes remain largely hidden from the public. As does their systemic nature.</p>
<h2>To end this violence we must rethink our priorities</h2>
<p>We should refuse to accept that vehicles hitting children are “<a href="https://www.roadpeace.org/get-involved/crash-not-accident/">accidents</a>” or unavoidable outcomes of our essential lifestyles. </p>
<p>We can choose to reclaim the status we give to cars in our everyday spaces. The price we pay, both social and environmental, is too high to sustain. We have plenty of better and safer travel choices, such as active and public transport.</p>
<p>We need to recognise that the car threatens children’s safety and their right to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17450101.2023.2200146">independently roam public spaces</a>. This directly threatens their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780128146941/transport-and-childrens-wellbeing">long-term health and wellbeing</a>. </p>
<p>Car drivers’ rights are not more important than children’s rights to be safe on our streets. The interests of those who oppose measures such as reduced car parking or lower speed limits should not be more important than our children’s wellbeing. No benefit of a pro-car policy can be greater than the benefit of children’s active presence in public spaces, where they have a right to be imperfect and distracted. </p>
<p>As a society, a public conversation about reassessing our priorities is well overdue. Only then can we challenge the unquestioned status of the car and our tendency to take the violence that it generates for granted.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214476/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marco te Brömmelstroet received funding from the Dutch organisation for academic research NWO and the European ERC. He is affiliated with the Urban Cycling Institute and works for the Lab of Thought. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hulya Gilbert does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>We accept the daily toll of road deaths and injuries as the price we pay to be able to drive everywhere, but it doesn’t have to be this way.Hulya Gilbert, Lecturer in Planning and Human Geography, La Trobe UniversityMarco te Brömmelstroet, Professor in Urban Mobility Futures, University of AmsterdamLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2161072023-10-23T05:59:53Z2023-10-23T05:59:53ZThe High Court decision on electric vehicles will make charging for road use very difficult<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555159/original/file-20231023-17-ur8u82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=411%2C0%2C4901%2C3463&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/search/electric-vehicles?image_type=photo">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The High Court of Australia’s <a href="https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/biglaw/38319-electric-vehicle-tax-invalid-under-constitution-high-court-finds">decision</a> to invalidate Victoria’s electric vehicle tax has been widely noted as a major judgement in the history of federal-state taxation powers.</p>
<p>In 2021, Victoria introduced a 2.5 cents per kilometre charge for electric vehicles using public roads. Ostensibly this was to compensate for the likely loss of Commonwealth fuel excise revenue from the shift to electric vehicles.</p>
<p>The court’s decision, released last week, effectively expanded the definition of an excise to include any tax that has “a reasonably anticipated economic effect on the pattern of demand”. By imposing a cost on the use of vehicles, and thereby potentially reducing demand for them, the road user charge is an excise.</p>
<p>At the time of federation in 1901, automobile technology had advanced to the level of a “<a href="https://researchrepository.rmit.edu.au/esploro/outputs/doctoral/Early-Australian-automotive-design-1895-1953/9921863791401341">motorised dog cart powered by kerosene</a>”. There is no constitutional right to operate a motor vehicle on public roads, yet the High Court has given the Commonwealth the right to charge for motor vehicle use on roads.</p>
<p>In making this decision, the court has gravely weakened the capability of the states to set, regulate and fund metropolitan transport planning objectives.</p>
<h2>Australians rely heavily on private vehicles</h2>
<p>Between 68 per cent (<a href="https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/data-by-region">Sydney</a>) and 75 per cent (<a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/qldtravelsurvey/viz/HouseholdTravelSurveyInteractiveReport-combinedv2019_3/QueenslandHouseholdTravelSurvey">Brisbane</a>) of travel in Australia’s major cities is by private motor vehicle, making them the most unsustainable national grouping within a developed country outside the United States. Car dependence causes various problems that are not adequately accounted for in current pricing regimes.</p>
<p>These include carbon emissions, productivity costs of congestion, traffic deaths and injuries to people and animals, respiratory and systemic diseases from exhaust and tyre particles, and cardiovascular disease from sedentary behaviour.</p>
<p>Because they generate many of the negative impacts of conventional vehicles, electric vehicles are not a sustainable mode of urban transport. And there is increasing recognition that moving from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles won’t reduce the impact of climate change within emergency timeframes.</p>
<p>The best way to reduce damage from car use in cities is to reduce usage overall. Along with regulatory measures that impede, exclude, ban or ration use of cars, taxes, levies, charges and prices are important mechanisms.</p>
<p>Since the 1980s, various agencies have argued the societal costs of motor vehicle use are under-estimated. The Henry Tax <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/review/the-australias-future-tax-system-review/final-report">Review </a>(2010), the last major comprehensive review of national taxation argued a combination of road specific congestion charges, network access charges and a variable charge such as fuel tax, should be applied to vehicle use costs.</p>
<p>This approach has been echoed in further advice from the Productivity Commission, Infrastructure Australia and Infrastructure Victoria, as well as by motorist groups such as the RACV.</p>
<h2>The states are losing control of managing their roads</h2>
<p>The High Court decision to reserve congestion and generalised road use charging to the Commonwealth severely limits states capacity to manage the costs of urban car use by way of taxes, charges, levies or fees, such as under section 1(d) of the <a href="http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/rsa1986125/s1.html">Victorian Road Safety Act 1986</a>. The section seeks to ensure “the equitable distribution within the community of the costs of road use”.</p>
<p>But, if Victorians now voted for road user charging to shift the <a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/vista/viz/VISTA-TripsDraft/Trips-methodoftravel">71% of travel currently undertaken by car</a> in Melbourne to sustainable modes, they would be refused by the Constitution.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/made-in-australia-the-electric-vehicle-revolution-gives-us-a-chance-to-revive-an-industry-203909">Made in Australia? The electric vehicle revolution gives us a chance to revive an industry</a>
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<p>Any future desire to achieve more sustainable levels of car use of 30-40% of travel, as found in cities like <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/4331_Deloitte-City-Mobility-Index/Seoul_GlobalCityMobility_WEB.pdf">Seoul</a>, <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/4331_Deloitte-City-Mobility-Index/city-mobility-index_LONDON_FINAL.pdf">London</a> or <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/4331_Deloitte-City-Mobility-Index/city-mobility-index_PARIS_FINAL.pdf">Paris</a> - or <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/4331_Deloitte-City-Mobility-Index/Seoul_GlobalCityMobility_WEB.pdf">12% in Tokyo</a> - would be impossible to achieve using road pricing, without Commonwealth involvement.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Commonwealth lacks a mechanism to collect road user charges. It would need to duplicate the states motor vehicle registration systems, roll out an equivalent system via the ATO, or rely on state cooperation.</p>
<p>A new tussle between the Commonwealth and states is foreseeable over the level of charge, the costs of collection and distribution formula, as well as any differential calibrations. It could be the Commonwealth sets a uniform national road users charge but allows states to add their own loadings to meet their transport objectives.</p>
<p>There may however be workarounds for states to impose per kilometre road user charges on electric vehicles. Victoria could impose an extra levy per kilowatt hour of electricity charged to an EV, for example, given there the close relationship between distance driven and kilowatt-hours consumed. It would be an adventurous High Court that decided the Commonwealth was responsible for setting electricity tariffs.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-human-factor-why-australias-net-zero-transition-risks-failing-unless-it-is-fair-214064">The human factor: why Australia's net zero transition risks failing unless it is fair</a>
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<p>Another workaround could be to vest Victoria’s roads within a commercially mandated state-owned corporation responsible for full cost recovery for road use. Road user charges would not comprise excise but rather a commercial transaction between the corporation providing the road service and the motorist paying to use the service. </p>
<p>Australian cities need to move quickly and decisively away from the car as a means of urban transport. Given its opposition to the Victorian road user charge and its newly confirmed powers over urban transport pricing, it is incumbent on the Commonwealth to present a coherent plan to reduce car use in cities.</p>
<p>Although the Commonwealth is currently developing a net zero transport and infrastructure <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/transport-and-infrastructure-net-zero-roadmap-and-action-plan">roadmap</a>, this needs to be urgently broadened to a national strategy for sustainable urban transport, coordinated with the states, and including clear, effective and accelerated ways of reducing car use in cities.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216107/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>RMIT University receives funding from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute to support Jago Dodson's research.</span></em></p>The High Court has ruled the right to charge an electric vehicle tax rests with the Commonwealth despite the Constitution not mentioning cars or roads.Jago Dodson, Professor of Urban Policy and Director, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2140512023-10-01T15:12:15Z2023-10-01T15:12:15ZSafety on the line: Drivers who juggle multiple jobs are more likely to take risks on the road<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550774/original/file-20230927-15-dqt564.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C250%2C4581%2C2840&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Drivers that juggle driving with another job were more likely to run red lights and carry weapons, such as knives, for safety reasons. These behaviours pose risks not only to drivers, but also to the public.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Paul Hanaoka/Unsplash)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/safety-on-the-line-drivers-who-juggle-multiple-jobs-are-more-likely-to-take-risks-on-the-road" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/06/business/uber-lyft-driver-deaths.html">driving profession is unsafe</a>. Taxi drivers and ride-hail drivers, who drive for apps like Uber and Lyft, face many safety risks on the road, from <a href="https://www.ilo.org/global/research/global-reports/weso/2021/WCMS_771749/lang--en/index.htm">accidents and injuries</a> to <a href="https://www.benefitnews.com/news/why-two-thirds-of-uber-lyft-drivers-didnt-feel-safe-at-work-last-year">harassment</a> and <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/9048681/fatal-shooting-surrey-tuesday/">violence</a>. </p>
<p>In fact, <a href="https://www.ilo.org/global/research/global-reports/weso/2021/WCMS_771749/lang--en/index.htm">83 per cent of ride-hail drivers from around the world</a> feel their work is unsafe. As a result, <a href="https://therideshareguy.com/uber-driver-survey/#uber-surveys-drivers">22 per cent of American drivers carry weapons</a> in their vehicles to protect themselves.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/09500170231185212">Our recent research study aimed to examine</a> whether low income, lack of rest and few breaks lead to unsafe behaviour in drivers. We compared the driving behaviours of multi-job professional drivers — those who drive for taxi companies or ride-hail apps and also have another job — with those whose only job is driving. </p>
<p>We found that multi-job professional drivers took the most risks. These drivers were more likely to run red lights and carry weapons, such as knives, for safety reasons. These behaviours pose risks not only to drivers, but also to the public.</p>
<h2>Multiple job holders</h2>
<p>More than <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/14-28-0001/2020001/article/00011-eng.htm">five per cent of Canadians had several jobs at the same time in 2021</a> — nearly two and a half times higher than in 1976. Most Canadians hold multiple jobs because they <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-222-x/71-222-x2019003-eng.htm">don’t make enough money to cover their expenses</a> with one job alone.</p>
<p>To <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/12/nyregion/cab-uber-lyft-drivers.html">increase their income</a>, many drivers <a href="https://www.ridester.com/drive-for-uber-and-lyft-at-the-same-time/">work on several driving platforms at once</a> or drive for both taxi and ride-hail companies. Some drivers even work for taxi and ride-hail companies while holding another job. Our research suggests these multi-job professional drivers may face the greatest safety risks. </p>
<p>Multi-job holders deal with <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/markcperna/2023/01/17/working-multiple-jobs-here-are-some-reminders-to-save-your-sanity/?sh=17a6249e7cbc">sleep deprivation, stress and reduced performance</a>. Multi-job professional drivers may also be at greater risk of <a href="https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.7072">drowsy driving accidents</a> and may be more likely to deal with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1145/3359319">intoxicated passengers while driving late at night</a>. </p>
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<img alt="A man rubs his eyes while sitting behind the steering wheel of a vehicle" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550771/original/file-20230927-29-fkubx7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550771/original/file-20230927-29-fkubx7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550771/original/file-20230927-29-fkubx7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550771/original/file-20230927-29-fkubx7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550771/original/file-20230927-29-fkubx7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550771/original/file-20230927-29-fkubx7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550771/original/file-20230927-29-fkubx7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Multi-job professional drivers are at greater risk of drowsy driving accidents because they often end up driving at night or after working long hours at another job.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<h2>Why do these drivers take more risks?</h2>
<p>Multi-job professional drivers face a number of challenges that can lead them to take more risks while on the road. First, <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4071315">they often have unsteady income due to working multiple low-paying jobs</a> without the safety nets provided by traditional employment. As a result, these drivers are more likely to take risks to complete fares quickly and earn more money.</p>
<p>Drivers <a href="https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/wages-occupation/10557/ca">often make at</a> or <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-uber-drivers-pay-toronto/">below minimum wage</a> and are paid per fare completed, rather than per hour. This means drivers feel pressured to get to destinations quickly, so they are more likely to make <a href="https://www.cantaxi.ca/wp-content/uploads/Toronto-Taxi-Review-Final-Report.pdf">illegal U-turns</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2019.02.007">speed</a> or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2021.1557">run yellow lights</a>.</p>
<p>Second, multi-job professional drivers are more likely to <a href="https://doi.org/10.2105%2FAJPH.2013.301431">work evening shifts and at odd hours</a> due to their complicated schedules. Drivers believe this increases their chances of <a href="https://www.uberpeople.net/threads/driving-night.152420/#post-2274634">picking up unpredictable, intoxicated or dangerous passengers</a>. As a result, multi-job professional drivers are more likely to carry weapons to protect themselves.</p>
<p>Lastly, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3109%2F07420528.2016.1167717">multi-job holders sleep less than single job holders</a> because they work longer hours and at times when they would otherwise be resting. Their lack of sleep often results in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1055%2Fs-0029-1237117">decreased attention and awareness</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.7072">makes them more prone to accidents</a>, and as our findings suggest, leads to road safety violations.</p>
<h2>Reducing risk to drivers and the public</h2>
<p>Addressing the challenges faced by drivers and mitigating safety risks for both drivers and the public involves several key considerations. </p>
<p><strong>1. Better wages.</strong> <a href="https://theconversation.com/uber-drivers-report-80-plus-hour-workweeks-and-a-lot-of-waiting-115782">Drivers have reported</a> that they waste half of their shifts waiting for fares; this is time spent not making any money. Government enforcement of <a href="https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-42/session-2/bill-88#Sched13">hourly minimum wages</a> may be an effective solution to increase driver pay, as long as wages <a href="https://www.epi.org/press/uber-drivers-should-be-paid-for-time-spent-waiting-for-fares-facts-of-being-an-uber-driver-reveal-no-need-to-create-a-third-category-of-worker/">take waiting times into account</a>. </p>
<p>Better wages may discourage drivers from running red lights or taking other risks to get to destinations quickly. It may also give drivers the ability to refuse ride requests that they feel are unsafe.</p>
<p><strong>2. Mandatory paid breaks.</strong> Some drivers <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/dax082">don’t take breaks during or between shifts</a> because they fear missing out on any potential fares or being <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/permits-licences-bylaws/vehicle-for-hire-set-fines/">fined by bylaw officers for leaving their vehicles unattended</a>. In addition to better wages, policymakers should consider the negative impact of these bylaws on the well-being of drivers. Mandatory paid breaks, which signal the importance of rest, may be a start.</p>
<p><strong>3. Greater safety protections.</strong> Many multiple job holders choose to work as ride-hail drivers because these jobs are the ones that are available to them, and they are drawn to the supposed <a href="https://fortune.com/2022/08/17/full-time-lyft-driver-flexibility-choice-act-underpaid-gig-work-pay-workers-rideshare-mike-robinson/">flexibility and choice</a> this work offers. The reality is that drivers are managed by algorithms <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/pringle-uber-doordash-gig-economy-1.5238726">instead of human managers</a> who would normally control things like driver pay and performance, and address safety concerns.</p>
<p>Drivers have reported that they get <a href="https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/2635">automated email responses</a> when reporting safety incidents. In cases when passengers have assaulted drivers, drivers are often only told <a href="https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520324800/uberland">they will not be matched up with that passenger again</a>. </p>
<p>While <a href="https://www.uber.com/ca/en/drive/driver-app/phone-support/">Uber</a> and <a href="https://www.lyft.com/safety/driver#help-from-real-humans">Lyft</a> now offer drivers access to phone support, drivers have reported that <a href="https://www.uberpeople.net/threads/customer-support-vs-bots.470266/#post-7526680">support representatives rely on the same automated responses</a>. Drivers should have access to more individualized support <a href="https://hbr.org/2019/08/what-people-hate-about-being-managed-by-algorithms-according-to-a-study-of-uber-drivers">so they feel less like they are talking to machines</a>.</p>
<h2>More support needed</h2>
<p>While ride-hail apps have put some safety measures into effect to support drivers, more help is needed. <a href="https://help.lyft.com/hc/en-ca/all/articles/115012926787-Taking-breaks-and-time-limits-in-driver-mode">Lyft has implemented a mandatory break rule</a>, whereby after using the app for 12 hours, drivers are not able to go online for six hours. This is a start to ensure drivers take breaks. However, drivers may just log into another ride-hail app and keep driving.</p>
<p>The Uber app also <a href="https://www.uber.com/ca/en/drive/safety/?uclick_id=2885d49f-8ef1-4ab6-a5b0-901b52af1d71">reminds drivers to stay within the posted speed limit and to take breaks</a>. However, a recent survey from the non-profit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that ride-hail drivers are <a href="https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/smartphone-apps-drive-gig-workers-parents-to-distraction">four times more likely to drive distractedly</a> compared to other drivers, increasing the risk of an accident. Receiving alerts from Uber while driving likely distracts drivers even more.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/uber-drivers-working-conditions-1.6824946">Driver safety must become a greater priority</a> for ride-hail companies. Companies like Uber and Lyft have a long way to go in improving worker safety to ensure both drivers and passengers feel safe on the road.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214051/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Catherine E. Connelly receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Canada Research Chair program. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alexandra D. Lefcoe does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Companies like Uber and Lyft have a long way to go in improving worker safety to ensure both drivers and passengers feel safe on the road.Alexandra D. Lefcoe, PhD Candidate, Management of Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources, McMaster UniversityCatherine E. Connelly, Canada Research Chair and Professor of Organizational Behaviour, McMaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2132402023-09-21T01:27:10Z2023-09-21T01:27:10ZAre Australia’s roads becoming more dangerous? Here’s what the data says<p>In 2022, there were nearly <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/road_trauma_2022.pdf">1,200 road crash deaths</a> in Australia – a figure that has remained largely the same over the past decade. However, some states and territories have seen dramatic increases in just the last five years, such as the ACT (100%), Tasmania (59.4%) and Queensland (21.2%). </p>
<p>Serious injuries from road crashes have also been <a href="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiMGVlZDM0YzQtNWI3Mi00YzAyLWI5YjUtZGQyYzc3YjJmMmY3IiwidCI6ImFhMjFiNjQwLWJhYzItNDU2ZC04NTA1LWYyY2MwN2Y1MTc4NCJ9">on the rise</a>, from 35,000 in 2013 to 39,866 in 2019. </p>
<p>These statistics highlight the need for an urgent rethink of road safety policies if we are to achieve Australia’s <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/australias-road-deaths-rise-despite-push-to-halve-fatalities-by-2030/vcl7yj50g">target</a> of a 50% decrease in fatalities and a 30% decrease in serious injuries by 2030. We are clearly not on track to meet these targets.</p>
<p>People are worth more than statistics, though. And it is not surprising we haven’t seen decreases in road deaths when we rely on strategies first implemented three to four decades ago. Change is needed to prevent the ongoing trauma caused by road crashes to Australian families.</p>
<h2>Why have road trauma rates not declined?</h2>
<p>Australia has long had an international reputation for pioneering road safety measures, such as seat belt restraints, speed management strategies (including speed cameras) and drink-driving laws, among others. In fact, Australia was the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00137361">first country</a> in the world to introduce laws for compulsory seat belt use. </p>
<p>These initiatives have been highly successful in reducing road deaths from their peak in 1970, when <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Previousproducts/1301.0Feature%20Article412001?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=1301.0&issue=2001&num=&view=">3,798</a> were recorded. But in the past two decades, further progress has stalled. We must ask ourselves why.</p>
<p>One theory to explain why road deaths may have increased in many states in the past couple of years is the pandemic. The previously empty roads are now congested again, which may have led to impatience and speeding. Or perhaps, some people have seemingly forgotten how to drive safely. However, there is another, perhaps simpler explanation.</p>
<p>This chart shows how closely road deaths have tracked with domestic fuel sales in Australia – measured in millions of litres of fuel – since 2019. In simple terms, when driving rates decreased at the beginning of the pandemic, deaths and injuries went down. When driving rates increased again in early 2021, deaths and injuries went up.</p>
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<p>In fact, there is scant evidence to suggest people’s driving behaviours changed during this time. Our recent unpublished research followed approximately 800 drivers from January 2020 to March 2023 using monitoring systems inside their cars to measure their behaviour. We found no differences in driver behaviours during this time. </p>
<p>Rather, there’s a more likely reason why road deaths and injuries continue to be so high: the amount of time we spend driving continues to increase, while our strategies to target the risks associated with driving haven’t changed. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, government agencies continue to rely on strategies implemented over the past 20-30 years, which were effective when they were first introduced, but are now subject to the law of diminishing marginal returns. This means continually throwing more resources at existing speed management strategies, for example, will likely only see marginal benefits. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/despite-lockdowns-1-142-australians-including-66-kids-died-on-our-roads-in-the-past-year-heres-what-we-need-to-do-170021">Despite lockdowns, 1,142 Australians, including 66 kids, died on our roads in the past year. Here's what we need to do</a>
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<h2>A new approach not focused on cars</h2>
<p>There is increasing urgency to investigate and implement new road safety strategies based on emerging technologies and a redesign of our cities instead. </p>
<p>For example, a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001457521003092">recent Australian trial</a> using new driving monitoring technology showed promise in reducing risky driving behaviours that could cause crashes. The monitoring systems provided feedback to the driver (via a smartphone app) and encouraged safer driving using financial incentives akin to insurance premiums. This new strategy is being explored further in three states: New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. </p>
<p>Encouraging people to transition from private car trips to public transport is another road safety strategy that has seldom been considered by governments. Rather, the driver, car and road remain the focus. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/driving-on-less-than-5-hours-of-sleep-is-just-as-dangerous-as-drunk-driving-study-finds-202514">Driving on less than 5 hours of sleep is just as dangerous as drunk-driving, study finds</a>
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<p>This <a href="https://www.roadsafety.gov.au/nrss/fact-sheets/vision-zero-safe-system">“safe system” approach</a> puts an emphasis on building safe road infrastructure for cars, while ignoring urban design changes that de-emphasise the need for cars. We should be encouraging more people to commute by rail, tram and bus (all lower-risk modes per kilometre travelled), while at the same time delivering safe infrastructure for sustainable transport such as bicycles/e-bicycles or walking.</p>
<p>If we continue to tinker with strategies implemented many decades ago, we will never get close to achieving the lofty government targets on road deaths and injuries by 2030.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213240/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mark Stevenson receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Research Council. He is a director in the start-up company Urban Analytica Pty Ltd.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jason Thompson is a current ARC Future Fellow, chief investigator on the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence for Better Outcomes in Compensable Injury, chief investigator on the NHMRC-funded Feedback Trial, and member of the Australasian College of Road Safety.
</span></em></p>Road deaths have remained stubbornly high in Australia over the past decade. Do we have the right strategies in place to address the problem?Mark Stevenson, Professor of Urban Transport and Public Health, The University of MelbourneJason Thompson, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Melbourne School of Design, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2109892023-09-15T06:58:10Z2023-09-15T06:58:10ZWales’ residential speed limit is dropping to 20mph – here’s how it should affect accidents and journey times<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/547541/original/file-20230911-21774-vlazi6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4608%2C3456&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The drop to 20mph in Wales will come into force at midnight on September 17. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/20-mph-speed-limit-sign-on-1166519551">steved_np3/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The default speed limit in residential areas in Wales will be <a href="https://www.gov.wales/introducing-default-20mph-speed-limits">reduced</a> from 30mph to 20mph from midnight on September 17. It will make Wales the first UK nation to adopt a 20mph default urban speed limit. </p>
<p>The new limit will apply to all “restricted” roads, which are roads in built-up areas with high levels of pedestrians. There are some exemptions and local authorities have been able to apply for certain roads to be kept at 30mph.</p>
<p>This change in the law has huge potential public health benefits, including decreasing the number of injuries and deaths from collisions, and may encourage more people to walk and cycle.</p>
<p>However, there is some opposition to the change, with concerns over journey times, additional costs to businesses in deliveries, uncertainties around its effect on vehicle emissions and the potential for increased frustration and road rage.</p>
<p>In bringing forward this change, the Welsh government has used the <a href="https://www.gov.wales/20mph-campaign-promotional-leaflet">strapline</a> “20mph. A bit slower but a whole lot better”, and has led the campaign with the promise of reducing collisions and saving lives. It says that in the time a car travelling at 20mph can stop, a car at 30mph would still be doing 24mph. It goes on to suggest that streets and communities will be safer, meaning people will walk more, improving health and wellbeing.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.gov.wales/state-evidence-20mph-speed-limits-regards-road-safety-active-travel-and-air-pollution-impacts">Evidence</a> suggests the Welsh government is broadly correct. Reducing the default speed limit to 20mph will reduce casualties, providing drivers with more time to react if things go wrong. </p>
<p>Following the implementation of 20mph limits in <a href="https://www.journalslibrary.nihr.ac.uk/phr/XAZI9445/#/abstract">Edinburgh</a>, for example, the number of collisions in one year fell by 40%. There were 23% fewer deaths and serious injuries were reduced by 33%. </p>
<p>Walking and cycling may increase too. We know that higher vehicle speeds are a <a href="https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/15/6/369.short">barrier</a> to walking and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15568318.2021.1999539">cycling</a>, especially among <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/978-1-83982-744-020211002/full/html">older adults</a>.</p>
<h2>Opposition</h2>
<p>Not everyone in Wales is happy about the drop to 20mph. Several <a href="https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/245406">petitions</a> have attempted to stop the change, while the Welsh Conservatives <a href="https://nation.cymru/news/welsh-conservatives-planning-to-force-a-final-vote-on-20mph-speed-limit/">oppose</a> blanket reductions. Reports have also emerged of 20mph signs being <a href="https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/people-been-defacing-20mph-signs-27660830">defaced</a>. </p>
<p>A common complaint is that journey times will be slower. But a UK government <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/757307/20mph-headline-report.pdf">report</a> in 2018 looked at 12 case studies in England where 20mph limits were implemented, concluding that journey times increased by only 3% in residential areas and 5% in city centres, adding less than a minute to a five-mile trip.</p>
<p>Also, as traffic flows are often more interrupted in urban areas - with frequent junctions and traffic lights, for example - a slight reduction in maximum permitted speeds may smooth out the traffic flow, reducing perceived delays.</p>
<p>Driver behaviour is, of course, a complex subject. Some drivers simply do not want to slow down and feel they have a right to drive fast. Meanwhile, other drivers feel the pressure to conform with other people’s behaviour, fitting in with the prevailing norms on the road. </p>
<h2>Drivers’ opinions</h2>
<p>Charles was involved in a qualitative <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214140514000383?via%3Dihub">study</a>, published in 2014, that attempted to categorise drivers’ opinions to work out how we might change attitudes and behaviour using the “diffusion of innovation” model, which is a theory that seeks to explain how, why and at what rate new ideas and technology spread. </p>
<p>In the study, drivers were sorted into categories of support for 20mph speed limits based on their answers to a series of questions. One group of “champions” was wholly supportive of 20mph regardless of others around them, even if tailgated or flashed by other vehicles. </p>
<p>In contrast, another group defined as “pragmatists” were more aware of others’ behaviour and were influenced by it, feeling the pressure to speed up. Many in this group had little awareness of speed limits in general, driving much more to the conditions or as others were around them. </p>
<p>And the final group of “opponents” tended to be strongly against speed limits. This tended to be reflected by how they set their own speed limits according to conditions. </p>
<p>The study suggested that champions respond well to information about the benefits of 20mph limits. But pragmatists need to accept that 20mph limits are normal and supported by most other drivers.</p>
<p>We know from the study that there is support for 20mph but also some ambivalence, which can be overcome after a bedding in period. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="An aerial view of a residential street with 20 painted on the road in bold numbers." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/547756/original/file-20230912-21-fvdp8q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/547756/original/file-20230912-21-fvdp8q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547756/original/file-20230912-21-fvdp8q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547756/original/file-20230912-21-fvdp8q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=448&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547756/original/file-20230912-21-fvdp8q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547756/original/file-20230912-21-fvdp8q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547756/original/file-20230912-21-fvdp8q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=563&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The speed limit in this residential area in Pontypridd is already set at 20mph.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/pontypridd-wales-july-2022-aerial-view-2179041355">Ceri Breeze/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The truth is that most people are not opposed to 20mph speed limits, but a sizeable minority are. Welsh government commissioned <a href="https://www.gov.wales/20mph-public-attitudes-research">research</a> suggests 80% were either slightly or strongly in favour of 20mph limits in 2021, but that this fell to <a href="https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2022-11/20mph-public-attitudes-survey-further-research.pdf">63% in 2022</a>. </p>
<p>This is not uncommon, however, as people’s support for change tends to <a href="https://www.gartner.co.uk/en/methodologies/gartner-hype-cycle">grow initially</a> but then falls off the closer it gets to implementation. Eventually, people may come around to the idea. </p>
<p>But it needs a government willing to stand its ground when negative public opinion emerges just before implementation, as we are seeing now.</p>
<p>It is time we stopped accepting death and injury in the name of freedom of mobility. Default 20mph speed limits are a good start but they must be accompanied by driver education programmes and police enforcement to be effective. And, of course, non-motoring road users still need more pavements, cycle lanes, safe crossing points and efficient and affordable public transport options.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210989/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Charles Musselwhite receives funding from Health and Care Research Wales.
Charles Musselwhite is Board Member of the Transport and Health Science Group (THSG)</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Merriman has received funding for past research from the ESRC, AHRC, British Academy, and European Regional Development Fund. </span></em></p>The Welsh government wants to make residential roads safer and quieter but not everybody agrees with dropping the speed limit from 30mph to 20mph.Charles Musselwhite, Professor of Psychology, Aberystwyth UniversityPeter Merriman, Professor of Human Geography, Aberystwyth UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2122602023-08-31T20:01:04Z2023-08-31T20:01:04ZFewer of us are cycling – here’s how we can reverse the decline<p>Rates of cycling are falling in Australia, a national <a href="https://www.cwanz.com.au/national-walking-and-cycling-participation-survey-2023/">report</a> released today shows. More people started riding bikes early in the pandemic, but that hasn’t lasted. The percentages of people who cycle are lower now than in 2011.</p>
<p>Less than one in six Australians report riding a bicycle weekly. Just over one in three have ridden in the past year. </p>
<p>During the time of pandemic restrictions, when there was less other traffic on the road, people perhaps felt safer to ride. Creating streets that are less busy, noisy and easier to ride on and cross safely encourages more people to cycle and walk.</p>
<iframe title="Rates of cycling in Australia, 2011–2023" aria-label="Interactive line chart" id="datawrapper-chart-N1d95" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/N1d95/3/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border: none;" width="100%" height="400" data-external="1"></iframe>
<p>Most people want to walk and ride more. <a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/541aa469/files/uploaded/What_Australia_Wants_Report_.pdf">Two-thirds</a> of people want more transport funding to go into walking, cycling and public transport. </p>
<p>Even if you’re not interested in riding a bike, you should be worried about this decline. Walking and cycling are part of the solution to several of the most pressing issues facing our cities.</p>
<h2>The decline isn’t surprising</h2>
<p>The decline in cycling probably shouldn’t surprise us. In the past 40 years, the percentage of children who walk or ride to school has dropped from <a href="https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/active-transport/AT_P_Declining_Rate_walking_cycling_to_school_in_Perth.pdf">75% to 25%</a>. </p>
<p>Furthermore, cycling receives only about <a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-are-short-changed-when-it-comes-to-transport-funding-in-australia-92574">2%</a> of transport budgets. The United Nations Environment Program <a href="https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/17030/globalOutlookOnWalkingAndCycling.pdf">recommends 20%</a> of transport funding should go to “non-motorised transport”. </p>
<p>Most of our transport funding goes into building wider and longer roads, embedding car dependency. However, making it easier to drive leads to more driving and ultimately more congestion, an effect known as <a href="https://www.atap.gov.au/tools-techniques/travel-demand-modelling/3-model">induced demand</a>. The problem even featured in <a href="https://twitter.com/BrentToderian/status/1192568535009988608?s=20">an episode</a> of the TV show Utopia. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-can-help-drive-australias-recovery-but-not-with-less-than-2-of-transport-budgets-142176">Cycling and walking can help drive Australia's recovery – but not with less than 2% of transport budgets</a>
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<h2>Short trips by car – everyone loses</h2>
<p>Most car journeys in Australian cities are <a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/vista/viz/VISTA-TripsDraft/Trips-methodoftravel">short</a>. Two-thirds of these trips could be done by bike in <a href="https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/map/perth-active-transport-improvements">15 minutes or less</a>. </p>
<p>So, for example, of the 4.2 million daily car trips in Perth, <a href="https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/map/perth-active-transport-improvements">2.8 million are less than 5km</a>. In Victoria, about <a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/vista/viz/VISTA-TripsDraft/Trips-methodoftravel">half of all trips under 2km</a> are driven – that’s more than 2 million a day. </p>
<p>These short car trips – such as the school drop-off, the short drive to the shops or the local park – are bad for public health, emissions and climate change, road safety and congestion. Walking and cycling can help solve all these problems. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/545706/original/file-20230831-26-jv0mnf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Venn diagram showing intersection of cycling and walking with the problems of road safety, congestion, emissions and public health" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/545706/original/file-20230831-26-jv0mnf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/545706/original/file-20230831-26-jv0mnf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545706/original/file-20230831-26-jv0mnf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545706/original/file-20230831-26-jv0mnf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545706/original/file-20230831-26-jv0mnf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545706/original/file-20230831-26-jv0mnf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/545706/original/file-20230831-26-jv0mnf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">How cycling and walking intersect with the issues of road safety, congestion, emissions and public health.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author supplied (data from: 1. DCEEW, 2. AIHW, 3&4. Infrastructure Australia, 5. ISPAH).</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Urban sprawl and car use have a high cost</h2>
<p>Urban sprawl makes it less appealing to walk and cycle to our destination, further entrenching car dependency. </p>
<p>Urban sprawl costs governments too. Last week, the New South Wales Productivity Commission <a href="https://www.productivity.nsw.gov.au/building-more-homes-where-infrastructure-costs-less">reported</a> building homes closer to the city centre, rather than in outer suburbs, can save up to A$75,000 in infrastructure costs. </p>
<p>The extra costs of building farther away include providing schools, roads, parks, water and wastewater infrastructure. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1696099433648382171"}"></div></p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/urban-sprawl-is-not-a-dirty-word-if-the-priority-is-to-meet-all-kids-needs-it-should-be-208670">Urban sprawl is 'not a dirty word'? If the priority is to meet all kids' needs, it should be</a>
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</p>
<hr>
<h2>3 transport priorities</h2>
<p>For people to walk and cycle, we need to provide so-called <a href="https://www.healthystreets.com/">healthy streets</a>: not too noisy, easy to cross, with clean air and where people feel safe. </p>
<p>In 2022, the <a href="https://aspactivity.org/">Asia-Pacific Society for Physical Activity</a> and cycling advocacy group <a href="https://www.weride.org.au/who-we-are/">We Ride Australia</a> proposed <a href="https://aspactivity.org/three-transport-priorities/">three transport priorities</a> for Australia supported by a national alliance of 13 public health, transport, education and climate organisations.</p>
<p><strong>1. Safer default speed limits</strong></p>
<p>The current default speed limit of 50km/h in built-up areas is unsafe and leads to many deaths and injuries each year. </p>
<p>Default 30km/h speed limits in built-up areas are an immediate <a href="https://theconversation.com/busted-5-myths-about-30km-h-speed-limits-in-australia-160547">low-cost</a> way to increase road safety.</p>
<p>Other countries are showing it can be done. For example, this month <a href="https://www.gov.wales/seven-things-you-may-not-know-about-wales-new-20mph-default-speed-limit">Wales</a> is set to adopt a default speed limit of 20 miles an hour (32km/h). </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/busted-5-myths-about-30km-h-speed-limits-in-australia-160547">Busted: 5 myths about 30km/h speed limits in Australia</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>2. 1,500m school zones</strong></p>
<p>Most students live <a href="https://www.activehealthykids.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/australia-report-card-progress-report-2015.pdf">within 3km</a> of their school. That’s less than a 10-minute bike ride or a 30-minute walk. </p>
<p>However, to boost walking and cycling to school, parents need to feel it’s safe for their children to do so. The solution is to create safe walking and cycling routes with <a href="https://bubblecane.wordpress.com/2021/02/06/priority-crossings-what-are-they/">pedestrian priority crossings</a> within 500–1,500m of schools. Streets along these routes are easy to cross and not too busy or noisy.</p>
<p><strong>3. E-bike subsidies</strong></p>
<p>Cutting carbon emissions to limit climate change and air pollution requires us to reduce private car use. Focusing <a href="https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/electric-vehicle-incentives-australia">purchase incentives</a> solely on electric cars in Australia is slowing down the race to zero emissions. Indeed, research shows cycling is <a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-is-ten-times-more-important-than-electric-cars-for-reaching-net-zero-cities-157163">ten times</a> more important than electric cars for achieving net-zero cities.</p>
<p>E-bikes assist the rider with pedalling, which makes them slightly faster than a regular bike. Typically e-bike users ride <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259019821930017X">greater distances</a> than regular push-bike users. </p>
<p>However, the upfront price of e-bikes is one of the main barriers to buying one.
Providing incentives for people to buy an e-bike would increase their uptake. Research shows a return on investment of <a href="https://www.weride.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/WeRide_e-Bike_Subsidy_Report_FINAL-lores.pdf">$2–$3</a> for every $1 spent on these incentives. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1639981043590545413"}"></div></p>
<h2>What else can we do?</h2>
<p>As well as the <a href="https://aspactivity.org/three-transport-priorities/">three transport priorities</a>, we can of course take many more actions that would help increase walking and cycling. These measures include: boosting <a href="https://theconversation.com/urban-sprawl-is-not-a-dirty-word-if-the-priority-is-to-meet-all-kids-needs-it-should-be-208670">housing density</a>, <a href="https://www.streetlevelaustralia.org/">beautifying</a> our neighbourhoods, programs to build people’s confidence and skills to walk and cycle, such as <a href="https://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/talks-courses-workshops/cycling-courses">beginners bike tours</a>, and more frequent public transport. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/12-best-ways-to-get-cars-out-of-cities-ranked-by-new-research-180642">12 best ways to get cars out of cities – ranked by new research</a>
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<p>By prioritising walking and cycling for short trips, Australia can reduce the national combined cost of $67 billion a year of <a href="https://www.nrspp.org.au/resources/summary-report-cost-road-trauma-australia/#:%7E:text=the%20total%20cost%20of%20road%20trauma%20is%20estimated%20at%20%2422.2,by%20road%20injury%20was%20%24239%2C000">traffic injuries and deaths</a>, <a href="https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-08/Urban%20Transport%20Crowding%20and%20Congestion.pdf">traffic congestion</a>, <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/DocumentStore.ashx?id=cce3914b-82a3-433b-97f6-be0642f692f6&subId=658630#:%7E:text=Air%20pollution%20is%20already%20a,to%20%2424%20billion%20per%20year">air pollution</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31390112/">physical inactivity</a>. </p>
<p>Here are four actions you can take to help boost walking and cycling in your area:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>look for opportunities where you can walk, wheel or cycle short journeys</p></li>
<li><p>join a community-led coalition, such as <a href="https://www.betterstreets.org.au/">Better Streets</a></p></li>
<li><p>score your local neighbourhood for walkability using this <a href="https://walking.heartfoundation.org.au/uploads/pdf-files/Neighbourhood-walkability-checklist.pdf">tool</a></p></li>
<li><p>write to your local MP asking for the <a href="https://aspactivity.org/three-transport-priorities/">three transport priorities</a> to be adopted.</p></li>
</ol><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212260/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matthew 'Tepi' Mclaughlin receives research funding from the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund and The Government of Western Australia's Healthway. He also receives salary support through the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course. He is a member of the Asia-Pacific Society for Physical Activity and a member of the Active Transport Advisory Group of Westcycle. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter McCue receives an Australian Postgraduate Research Award to study a PhD. He is a member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Advocacy Committee of the Asia-Pacific Society for Physical Activity.</span></em></p>Early in the pandemic, when there was much less traffic on the roads, people took to their bikes. But since then, fewer people are cycling, with rates now lower than in 2011.Matthew Mclaughlin, Adjunct Research Fellow, The University of Western AustraliaPeter McCue, PhD Candidate, School of Population Health, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2083572023-06-27T20:37:33Z2023-06-27T20:37:33ZAfter the Manitoba crash, Canada needs to rethink bus safety<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534154/original/file-20230626-7296-j4ekvm.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C14%2C4985%2C3525&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The intersection along the Trans-Canada highway near Carberry, Man. where a bus collided with a semi-truck killing 16 people and injuring nine others. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/manitoba-crash-highlights-safety-concerns-about-canadas-highways-and-trucking-industry-207971">recent collision</a> between a bus and a semi-truck near Carberry, Man., which killed <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-bus-crash-victims-profiles-1.6885087">16 seniors</a>, is the latest fatal incident to raise concerns about bus and road safety in Canada. The crash shares similarities to other fatal bus crashes like the <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/humboldt-broncos-bus-crash">2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash</a> and the <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/5902629/serious-rollover-bus-crash-on-vancouver-island/">2019 bus rollover on Vancouver Island</a>.</p>
<p>Buses are one of the safest modes of transportation. However, these tragic incidents show that major crashes can result in significant loss of life, severe injuries and profound grief for entire communities.</p>
<p>Safety investigations into such collisions need to be conducted at a national level and by an independent body in the same manner air and rail occurrences are investigated.</p>
<h2>Road transportation is a provincial responsibility</h2>
<p>When it comes to road transportation, Canada adheres to an archaic <a href="https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ResearchPublications/202204E#a3">regulatory framework</a> that can be traced all the way back to confederation. At the time, John A. Macdonald <a href="https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/files/pdf/MLIConfederationSeries_MacdonaldSpeechF_Web.pdf">argued</a> that roads should be a provincial responsibility with no federal involvement or guidance.</p>
<p>At the time, most roads were not paved and road vehicles were horse-drawn. Roads carried less national strategic significance than railroads and waterways which both became federally-regulated.</p>
<p>After confederation, Canada became the second largest country in the world by area, and roads became the lifeline of our transportation infrastructure system. However, roads still remain under provincial jurisdiction and that makes far less sense now.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534145/original/file-20230626-29-gxsgrx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="People sit in a room with large portraits. An RCMP officer stands at a podium addressing them." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534145/original/file-20230626-29-gxsgrx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534145/original/file-20230626-29-gxsgrx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534145/original/file-20230626-29-gxsgrx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534145/original/file-20230626-29-gxsgrx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534145/original/file-20230626-29-gxsgrx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534145/original/file-20230626-29-gxsgrx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534145/original/file-20230626-29-gxsgrx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Family members of 16 seniors who died in the accident attend an RCMP press conference in Dauphin, Man. on June 22, 2023.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/The Brandon Sun - Tim Smith</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Improving road safety</h2>
<p>Canada’s lack of effective leadership of <a href="https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/transparency/corporate-management-reporting/transportation-canada-annual-reports/road-transportation">road transportation</a> is inconsistent with practices in many other developed nations. Improving road safety and standards should include developing national standards, guidance and dedicated funding sources (for example, gas tax) to support the construction and operation of road networks.</p>
<p>In 2018, Canada <a href="https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/publications/road-safety-canada-2020#Overall-Level-of-Road-Safety-in-Canada">ranked 12th</a> compared to other member countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in terms of road safety. </p>
<p>In 2016, the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators published its <a href="https://roadsafetystrategy.ca/en/strategy">Road Safety Strategy</a>. The strategy aims to raise public awareness of road safety as well as improve legislation and infrastructure. However, progress has been slow and often hampered by a lack of systemic efforts to collect, analyze and share publicly relevant data and research.</p>
<p>To fill the gaps, non-mandatory guidance is being developed collaboratively by not-for-profit associations and inter-governmental forums such as the <a href="https://www.tac-atc.ca/en/about-tac">Transportation Association of Canada</a>, <a href="https://www.ccmta.ca/en/about">the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators</a> and <a href="https://www.comt.ca/#:%7E:text=The%20Council%20of%20Ministers%20Responsible">the Council of Ministers of Transport</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534161/original/file-20230626-15-x6xeh5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A damaged semi-truck on a road." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534161/original/file-20230626-15-x6xeh5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534161/original/file-20230626-15-x6xeh5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=307&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534161/original/file-20230626-15-x6xeh5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=307&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534161/original/file-20230626-15-x6xeh5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=307&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534161/original/file-20230626-15-x6xeh5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=385&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534161/original/file-20230626-15-x6xeh5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=385&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534161/original/file-20230626-15-x6xeh5.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=385&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The aftermath of the collision near Carberry, Man. The incident is the latest to raise concerns about passenger and road safety in Canada.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Steve Lambert</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Response to major road crashes</h2>
<p>In Canada, federal regulations govern transportation by rail, air and water. The safety of the users of these systems are under the purview of a federal watchdog, the <a href="https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/qui-about/index.html">Transportation Safety Board (TSB)</a>, which is overseen and funded by Parliament. This allows the TSB to investigate all matters related to these modes and to press all levels of government for change.</p>
<p>Roads are the exception. The TSB has no role in investigating road crashes or bridge failures no matter how catastrophic. That is usually left to provincial and municipal authorities. This stands in contrast to other countries like the United States, which <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/about/Pages/default.aspx">empower a national agency to investigate highway safety</a>.</p>
<p>The TSB was absent from the <a href="https://leaderpost.com/news/saskatchewan/humboldt-broncos-bus-crash-13-recommendations-to-improve-safety-at-intersection">Humboldt Broncos crash</a>, the <a href="https://www.westernwheel.ca/beyond-local/investigation-complete-into-fatal-icefield-bus-rollover-5294681">Columbia Icefield crash</a>, the <a href="https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/uvic-says-it-has-implemented-recommendations-after-fatal-bus-crash-near-bamfield-1.5500159">University of Victoria bus crash</a>, and is absent from the Carberry crash, all because its mandate does not cover roads. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, the TSB joined the investigation into the implosion of the <a href="https://www.bst-tsb.gc.ca/eng/medias-media/deploiement-deployment/marine/2023/m23a0169-20230623.html">Titan submersible</a> in international waters because the support ship flew a Canadian flag.</p>
<p>The TSB investigated a <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-bus-train-crash-kills-6-in-commuting-horror-1.1858868">2013 double-decker bus crash</a> in Ottawa because the bus collided with a train and rail is a federally-regulated mode, but was unable to investigate another <a href="https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/columnists/the-humboldt-parents-ottawa-please-ask-the-transportation-safety-board-to-probe-the-bus-crash">double-decker crash also in Ottawa</a> in 2019 because the bus collided with a station shelter awning on the City-owned transitway. </p>
<p>In both cases, the bus structure proved to be weak and easily breached, which led to ejection of passengers from the upper decks. A <a href="https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/rail/2013/r13t0192/r13t0192.html">public report</a> was issued after the first crash. No report or recommendations were issued after the second, and an opportunity to advance safety was missed.</p>
<p>Best practices dictate that serious road crashes across the country be investigated by an independent body. That would allow us to see the bigger and clearer picture, and to detect trends more accurately. We need this knowledge to justify necessary safety actions such as traffic countermeasures, infrastructure upgrades, stronger bus structures, seatbelts, event data loggers and mandatory bus driver training.</p>
<p>For these reasons, we must demand that serious road crashes be subject to the same type of independent and transparent safety investigations that are routinely conducted in other modes.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534160/original/file-20230626-17-4ej31x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A stop sign at an intersection. A memorial is seen in the background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534160/original/file-20230626-17-4ej31x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534160/original/file-20230626-17-4ej31x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534160/original/file-20230626-17-4ej31x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534160/original/file-20230626-17-4ej31x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534160/original/file-20230626-17-4ej31x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534160/original/file-20230626-17-4ej31x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534160/original/file-20230626-17-4ej31x.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A memorial on the roadside where the Humboldt Broncos bus crash took place is shown on Highway 35 near Armley, Sask. on March 18, 2023.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Stalled progress</h2>
<p>In 2019, on the heels of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, the House of Commons Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities studied bus passenger safety. The committee interviewed first-responders, bus industry representatives, the TSB and safety experts.</p>
<p>The committee’s report contained <a href="https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/TRAN/report-31/page-24">nine important recommendations</a> to improve bus passenger safety. It recommended the Government of Canada enable the TSB to investigate serious highway accidents, as well as all accidents involving motor vehicles designed to transport nine or more passengers. The report also recommended that bus drivers be required to undertake mandatory entry-level training.</p>
<p>The report went nowhere.</p>
<p>Transport Canada did not respond to the report as would normally be expected. The committee was told that Transport Canada was in the process of <a href="https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/TRAN/report-31/page-18">developing regulatory changes</a> to improve bus passenger safety in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments and needed more time to finalize the work. </p>
<p>Four years later, there has been little progress on the recommendations. The cost of waiting is too high. Politicians continue to offer only thoughts and prayers after each tragic incident, but it is time for them to revisit their own bus passenger safety report. </p>
<p>The House of Commons needs to follow up on the recommendations and demand that regulatory changes be introduced to make bus travel safer.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208357/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ahmed Shalaby receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Manitoba Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, and the City of Winnipeg. He is a professional engineer and a member of the Pavements and the Soil and Materials Standing Committees of the Transportation Association of Canada. He is a director of Safer Roads Canada, a not-for-profit group created by families of crash victims.
</span></em></p>Safety investigations into serious road collisions need to be conducted at a national level and by an independent body in the same manner air and rail occurrences are investigated.Ahmed Shalaby, Professor of Civil Engineering, University of ManitobaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2079712023-06-21T21:25:31Z2023-06-21T21:25:31ZManitoba crash highlights safety concerns about Canada’s highways and trucking industry<p>Details are still emerging about the recent <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/bus-crash-seniors-manitoba-carberry-1.6879773">collision between a bus carrying seniors and a semi-truck</a> in Manitoba. It is now clear that the <a href="https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2023/manitoba-rcmp-respond-mass-casualty-collision">truck had right of way</a>, however, police have not yet determined cause or potential culpability. </p>
<p>What we know for certain is that this is one of the worst road accidents in recent Canadian history. <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/survivor-carberry-crash-dies-hospital-death-16-1.6883717">Sixteen people are dead</a> and nine others remain in hospital. The scale of the incident is shocking, and it will take time for investigators to determine all the factors at play. </p>
<p>The incident has raised questions about the safety of at-grade intersections, where local roads intersect with highways. Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson has said the province will <a href="https://www.burnabynow.com/national-news/manitoba-to-review-deadly-intersection-bring-in-experts-if-needed-premier-7162983">review the safety</a> of the intersection where the collision occurred. Such reviews are necessary and need to take place across the country. </p>
<p>Too often, there is a problematic blame game after these collisions. It is all too easy to rush to judgement and blame truck drivers. However, the involvement of a semi-truck was clearly a factor in the sheer scale and deadliness of the crash. That fact, as well as <a href="https://thestarphoenix.com/news/deadly-carberry-manitoba-bus-crash-echoes-humboldt-broncos-tragedy">comparisons to the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash in Saskatchewan</a>, means questions will likely be raised about trucking industry safety.</p>
<h2>Trucker safety</h2>
<p>The mass casualties associated with the <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/9773737/carberry-bus-crash-humboldt-broncos/">Humboldt collision</a> and the <a href="https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/humboldt-crash-jaskirat-singh-sidhu/">criminal conviction</a> of the truck driver involved increased public attention to trucking industry safety. </p>
<p>There is general recognition that truck drivers have a heightened responsibility to drive safely because of the increased risk posed by the size and weight of their vehicles. <a href="https://northernontario.ctvnews.ca/opp-say-preventable-transport-truck-crashes-on-the-rise-1.5980613">Police</a>, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/rob-fleming-highway-5-truck-crashes-1.6751632">politicians</a> and <a href="https://edmonton.citynews.ca/2023/04/06/humboldt-highway-safety/">members of the public</a> have raised concerns that unsafe driving among truckers is getting worse, and <a href="https://doi.org/10.29173/cjs28288">my research</a> indicates that many truckers share these concerns.</p>
<p>Responses to this issue have mainly focused on changing truck driver behaviour. This includes adopting basic <a href="https://www.trucknews.com/features/melt-truck-driver-training-standards-are-only-minimums-and-gaps-remain/">mandatory truck driver training</a> and <a href="https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023MOTI0013-000178">compliance initiatives</a>. However, focusing solely on the behaviour of truck drivers obscures the complex ways the organization and regulation of the industry are at odds with public safety. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533005/original/file-20230620-19688-b5ym4j.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A scorched patch of ground near a highway intersection. Skid marks leading to the scorched patch are seen on the roadway." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533005/original/file-20230620-19688-b5ym4j.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533005/original/file-20230620-19688-b5ym4j.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533005/original/file-20230620-19688-b5ym4j.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533005/original/file-20230620-19688-b5ym4j.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533005/original/file-20230620-19688-b5ym4j.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=533&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533005/original/file-20230620-19688-b5ym4j.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=533&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533005/original/file-20230620-19688-b5ym4j.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=533&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A scorched patch of ground where the bus carrying seniors ended up after colliding with the semi is seen on the edge of the Trans-Canada Highway where it intersects with Hwy 5 near Carberry, Man., June 16, 2023.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The majority of long haul truck drivers in Canada work as contractors who are <a href="https://www.truckerstrainingcanada.com/truck-drivers-salary-canada/#How_Do_Truck_Drivers_Earn">paid by the kilometre</a>. That means most truckers only make money when they are moving. The further and faster they go, the more they make. </p>
<p>Most truckers are not paid for loading and unloading, securing cargo, mechanical inspections and so on. Conducting safety checks, brake adjustments or even slowing down all cost drivers time and money. To anyone interested in public safety, this is ludicrous.</p>
<p>Then there are regulations regarding truckers’ hours of service. Under these rules, once a trucker starts driving, the clock on their allowable driving window begins. According to the <a href="https://www.cvse.ca/hours_of_service.htm">National Safety Code</a>, truckers can drive a maximum of 13 hours in a work day. In my research, I have interviewed truck drivers who spoke about the pressure those hours can have. <a href="https://doi.org/10.29173/cjs28288">As one driver explained</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>I used to drive, and if I felt tired, I pull over and have a nap! And then I could just get up again, and drive. You can’t do that now. […] They think that they are changing the rules to make it safer! You’re not! </p>
</blockquote>
<p>All these pressures combine to push drivers to keep going — no matter what. Current regulations and by-the-kilometer pay discourage and penalize drivers from resting when they feel tired, or stopping when road conditions are bad.</p>
<h2>Truckers under pressure</h2>
<p>Working conditions for long haul truckers are also challenging and create safety issues. When drivers do finally stop, they often attempt to rest in a noisy truck stop parking lot or remote highway pullout. They may or may not have regular access to food, bathrooms or showers. They are away from their families, health-care providers and communities for long stretches of time. Access to healthy food is limited, and <a href="https://doi.org/10.2190/ns.24.1.c">there are very real health implications to doing this kind of work</a>.</p>
<p>Small wonder, then, that there is a <a href="https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/government-of-canada-invests-in-skills-training-to-address-shortages-in-trucking-industry-824459499.html">shortage of truckers</a>. To find drivers, companies increasingly rely on initiatives such as the <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/temporary-foreign-worker.html">Temporary Foreign Worker Program</a>. These workers are especially vulnerable to exploitation and unsafe work. The increasing reliance on these programs is also <a href="https://doi.org/10.3167/TRANS.2016.060105">factoring into racism in the industry</a>. </p>
<p>When we think about semi truck-involved collisions, we rarely think about the impacts of road collisions on truck drivers themselves. This is not to diminish the unimaginable loss, pain and suffering of the victims of any truck-involved collision. But if we only think of truck drivers as potential perpetrators of collisions, then we can’t recognize the harm many truckers experience or the links to public safety. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533014/original/file-20230620-27-9b5n3f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="smoke rises from the scene of a road accident. a damaged blue semi-truck is seen in the background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533014/original/file-20230620-27-9b5n3f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533014/original/file-20230620-27-9b5n3f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533014/original/file-20230620-27-9b5n3f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533014/original/file-20230620-27-9b5n3f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533014/original/file-20230620-27-9b5n3f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533014/original/file-20230620-27-9b5n3f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533014/original/file-20230620-27-9b5n3f.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson has said the province will review the safety of the intersection where the collision occurred.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout: Nirmesh Vadera</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Due to the sheer number of hours and long distances they travel, truck drivers are at higher risk of being in, and witnessing, a road collision. Many of the truckers I’ve spoken to as part of <a href="https://summit.sfu.ca/item/17764">my research</a> recounted harrowing stories of witnessing road collisions. </p>
<p>Many had experiences of saving crash victims’ lives, providing end-of-life care and dealing with human remains at collision sites. Often this work was voluntary. Other times, police and first responders requested their help. </p>
<p>What happens after such incidents? Often, truckers keep driving. It may be hours before they can shower or take a break. They often have <a href="https://www.ihsa.ca/Topics-Hazards/Mental-health-risks-and-stigma-in-the-trucking-ind.aspx">little or no access to mental health supports</a>. Their ability to rest and recover depends on their employer, the individual job and their relationships with dispatchers. </p>
<p>Nothing about this is safe for anyone. </p>
<p>It is easy to dehumanize truckers and assume they are at fault in any collision. Among the professional truck drivers I have known, there is no greater fear than being at fault in a fatal collision.</p>
<p>Canada’s long-haul truckers are facing dangerous working conditions. Governments need to take meaningful action to improve the safety of Canada’s highways and regulation of the trucking industry.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207971/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amie McLean received research funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. </span></em></p>Long-haul truckers often work grueling schedules with few breaks and face pressures that place their safety and that of others at risk.Amie McLean, Intercultural Coordinator, Thompson Rivers University; Project Manager, Justice, Equity, and Inclusion, Work-Integrated Learning (on leave), Simon Fraser UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2074132023-06-14T01:44:33Z2023-06-14T01:44:33ZSafety vests and helmets make cyclists look ‘less human’ to other road users<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531511/original/file-20230613-24-cnyp5h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4449%2C2961&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Getting more people to <a href="https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/newsroom/2023/05/24/climate-council-urges-australians-to-triple-bike-riding-and-walking/">ride bikes</a> has been flagged as a simple and effective way to improve public health while tackling <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CC_MVSA0354-CC-Report-Road-to-Personal-Transport_V5-FA-Screen-Single.pdf">climate change</a>. However, research has repeatedly found safety concerns <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140522002109">deter people from cycling</a>.</p>
<p>Australia’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-are-short-changed-when-it-comes-to-transport-funding-in-australia-92574">limited cycling infrastructure</a> often forces cyclists to share the road with motor vehicles. This puts them in a vulnerable position as, unlike motorists, they have little to protect their flesh and bones from the road or the vehicles on it.</p>
<p>To reduce their vulnerability, cyclists wear safety gear such as helmets to protect their heads and high-vis safety vests to make them more visible to other road users. However, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847823001018">our study</a> found cyclists wearing helmets or safety vests are more likely to be perceived as “less human” than those not wearing safety gear. Around 30% of respondents also perceived cyclists to be less than fully human.</p>
<p>This finding is consistent with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847818308593?casa_token=weI6xibv-roAAAAA:2vb1bpuJsrYWxLG5oyhC1Xr3wA00ZV895BF-jN0wmSmhwXMhGCWypst3ObzEegObXEv_vz1jUjtd">previous research</a> showing that perceiving cyclists as “less human” (known as dehumanisation) was associated with more <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001457518309588?casa_token=JWfMHzYpB2YAAAAA:RDDs6Q5K2jyUVasAl_OT6odcCDx2y2xg_kM_fP3ZNcTHw_mvaYTynnQ4W2Jb55yLRjuGm3PJY8vM">aggression towards cyclists</a>. Dehumanisation is the denial of attributes, such as complex emotions, intelligence, rationality and individuality, that differentiate humans from other animals and inanimate objects. To dehumanise is to perceive a person or group as having lesser value and worth, which can lead to their mistreatment.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-are-short-changed-when-it-comes-to-transport-funding-in-australia-92574">Cycling and walking are short-changed when it comes to transport funding in Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What did our study find?</h2>
<p>In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847823001018">our study</a>, 563 participants were shown a series of photographs of models holding a bicycle. The models wore different attire in each photo, including: no headwear, a cap, a helmet, and a bright orange safety vest. Participants were asked to select the person in each pair who looked “less human”. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Man in casual clothes holding a bicycle, same man in casual clothes holding a bicycle and wearing a helmet" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531257/original/file-20230611-197517-o2hiep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An example of one of the photo comparisons: the model without a helmet versus the same model with a helmet.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847823001018">Limb & Collyer 2023</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The results showed a clear difference between attire types. People were more likely to select images where the model wore “overt” safety gear as “less human”. </p>
<p>The photos of bicycle riders with helmets were 2.5 times more likely to be selected as “less human” than those with no helmets. Those wearing safety vests were 3.7 times more likely to be selected.</p>
<p>The study participants also provided anecdotes about their experiences cycling on Australian roads. Some reported other road users treated them differently depending on what they wore. Full lycra cycling gear attracted more abuse than casual wear.</p>
<p>Female bicycle riders reported receiving less abuse from motorists than their male counterparts. This observation led some to accentuate their femininity to increase their perceived safety when riding on roads. One said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>As a female I don’t get treated as badly as my male friends (who have had things thrown at them). I actually purposely have my long hair showing to help.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Our finding that riders in safety vests are seen as “less human” than those without adds to the debate on the actual versus perceived benefit of <a href="https://safetyatworkblog.com/2011/09/04/where-is-the-evidence-for-the-safety-benefits-of-high-visibility-clothing/">safety vests</a>. Safety vests do not necessarily make a rider <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457513004636?casa_token=4z4T1bnmBW8AAAAA:t1drqFJvdaV1DNc0fisG3zYT73jP3J88FS24Um2d82hymMWVncurTVjbJRm2e7yBWmxmCH3BAIUA">safer</a> or more <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/pdf/10.3316/informit.344785481775753?casa_token=o0rY-lqpMFQAAAAA%3AGsqOGL_EjaWR6P7fS6Xok5i6Rz0xsfSlu8ND7TKVReTDTZW1kyzmUwAvJ_omwTX5ICVAmdef0I4THaZy">visible</a>. Instead, they reinforce the idea that bicycle riding is a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2013/jan/10/cycling-high-visibility-safe-fluorescent">dangerous activity</a> – further deterring its uptake.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/minimum-space-for-passing-cyclists-is-now-law-australia-wide-it-increases-safety-but-possibly-road-rage-too-159926">Minimum space for passing cyclists is now law Australia-wide. It increases safety – but possibly road rage too</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>So how can we keep riders safe?</h2>
<p>With cyclists dehumanised and unwelcome on Australian roads, and also not welcome on <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/news/sydney-police-crack-down-on-delivery-drivers-who-ride-bikes-on-footpaths/news-story/5c05fc45d6bdca54c607b31e48fae537">footpaths</a>, it seems the best solution is to “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jOk8dk-qaU">keep them separated</a>” as US rock band The Offspring sang back in ’94. Australia needs separate infrastructure for bicycle riding, especially if we want more people to take up this active, carbon-neutral form of transport.</p>
<p>It’s time for Australia to follow the lead of countries like <a href="https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2022/08/26/government-shifts-cycling-to-a-higher-gear">the Netherlands</a> and provide <a href="https://theconversation.com/ride-to-work-youll-need-a-bike-barrier-for-that-19111">safe facilities</a> for people to ride on. When the Dutch <a href="https://dutchcycling.nl/">promote cycling culture</a>, they show people dressed for the destination, not the ride. They highlight everyday folks, in everyday clothing, unhindered by special equipment, enjoying a safe and social experience.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/3-in-4-people-want-to-ride-a-bike-but-are-put-off-by-lack-of-safe-lanes-172868">3 in 4 people want to ride a bike but are put off by lack of safe lanes</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Casually dressed couple on a bicycle in Amsterdam" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=816&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=816&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=816&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1025&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1025&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531258/original/file-20230611-172706-lna8lm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1025&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Dutch cycling promotional material.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://issuu.com/dezoelehaven/docs/amsterdam_20cycling_20matters_20onl">Cycling Matters magazine, City of Amsterdam</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>A city that has active transport is safer, healthier, quieter and more environmentally friendly. The lesson is clear: we need to <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2016/10/543292">prioritise people</a> over cars.</p>
<p><a href="https://road.cc/content/news/77369-coroner-cyclists-have-duty-other-road-users-wear-high-viz">Blaming cyclists</a> for not being “visible enough” is an ill-considered response. Most cyclists would prefer not to travel on the same roads as motor vehicles. But, until we can achieve complete separation, efforts to counteract the dehumanisation of those who ride bicycles are needed.</p>
<p>While <a href="https://www.cityservices.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/2168768/Report-Putting-a-human-face-on-cyclists-in-the-ACT-24-Jan-2023-accessible.pdf">investigations</a> are informing campaigns to “humanise” bicycle riders, change can begin at an individual level. We can ask ourselves: what goes through our minds when we see a cyclist when we are driving? Do we think of them as someone like us who is just trying to get to work or home, or do we see them differently? Are we dehumanising them?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ride-to-work-youll-need-a-bike-barrier-for-that-19111">Ride to work? You'll need a bike barrier for that</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207413/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Bike riders wear helmets and high-vis vests to reduce their vulnerability on the road. Problem is a new study finds this dehumanises cyclists, putting them more at risk of aggression from drivers.Sarah Collyer, Research Associate, Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders UniversityMark Limb, Lecturer in Urban and Regional Planning, Queensland University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2055752023-06-02T00:37:52Z2023-06-02T00:37:52ZDrivers and pedestrians are unsure who gives way at stop signs. A simple rule change can end this dangerous confusion<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527143/original/file-20230519-27-vbg0i1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4457%2C2967&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>When a driver and a pedestrian approach a T-intersection, who has to give way? </p>
<p>In <a href="https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/SAJZCYWLOxh3N7NG7I9caLE?domain=authors.elsevier.com">newly published research</a> we tested over 1,000 road users’ knowledge of the Australian road rules. We presented them with the two scenarios shown below.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526027/original/file-20230514-80599-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526027/original/file-20230514-80599-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526027/original/file-20230514-80599-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=164&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526027/original/file-20230514-80599-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=164&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526027/original/file-20230514-80599-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=164&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526027/original/file-20230514-80599-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=206&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526027/original/file-20230514-80599-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=206&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526027/original/file-20230514-80599-o4s9gt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=206&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">When asked who should give way in these scenarios, many road users answered incorrectly.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847823000980">Browne & Flower 2023</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When asked who should give way, the green car or the pedestrian, in the first and second scenarios, 37% and 39% of road users respectively answered incorrectly. </p>
<p>So what do the <a href="https://www.ntc.gov.au/laws-and-regulations/australian-road-rules">Australian Road Rules</a> say? The answer may surprise you. The rules (specifically <a href="http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_reg/rsrr2017208/s353.html">rule 353</a>) state: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>(1) If a driver is turning from a road at an intersection –</p>
<p>(a) the driver is required to give way to a pedestrian who is crossing the road that the driver is entering […] and </p>
<p>(b) the driver is not required to give way to a pedestrian who is crossing the road the driver is leaving.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>An obvious source of people’s confusion is the inconsistency between parts (a) and (b) of rule 353. In effect, it gives pedestrians “right of way across only half an intersection”. </p>
<p>Part (b) is also quite counter-intuitive. After all, most people would expect that a stop or give way sign would mean drivers have to stop for pedestrians as well as cars.</p>
<p>Changing the rules to require drivers to give way to pedestrians who are crossing the road the driver is leaving would create a “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S136984781830809X">generalised and unambiguous duty to give way on turning”</a>“. This change has been <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-australian-road-rules-should-be-rewritten-to-put-walking-first-127789">proposed before</a>. But more recent developments have added to the case for such a rule change. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Approach to a stop sign in a suburban street" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527144/original/file-20230519-29-24y32n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527144/original/file-20230519-29-24y32n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527144/original/file-20230519-29-24y32n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527144/original/file-20230519-29-24y32n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527144/original/file-20230519-29-24y32n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527144/original/file-20230519-29-24y32n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527144/original/file-20230519-29-24y32n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A driver approaching this stop sign isn’t required to give way to pedestrians, but a driver turning into the same street must give way.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-australian-road-rules-should-be-rewritten-to-put-walking-first-127789">Why Australian road rules should be rewritten to put walking first</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The UK’s new rule H2</h2>
<p>The UK recently made the same change to its road rules. In late 2021, the UK Highway Code introduced <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/introduction">rule H2</a> which, at a junction, requires drivers to give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which <em>or from which</em> the driver is turning. </p>
<p>The change eliminated inconsistencies and the counter-intuitiveness about who has to give way. </p>
<p>Giving pedestrians an unambiguous right of way also encourages walking. Examples of apparently minor "urban acupuncture” like this can have long-term benefits for liveability and for public health and wellbeing.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cars-have-taken-over-our-neighbourhoods-kid-friendly-superblocks-are-a-way-for-residents-to-reclaim-their-streets-187276">Cars have taken over our neighbourhoods. Kid-friendly superblocks are a way for residents to reclaim their streets</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Zebra crossings have unintended consequences</h2>
<p>The second recent development is that local councils around Melbourne have been installing zebra crossings at prioritised locations – but not all locations – within activity centres and on routes designated as part of the so-called <a href="https://www.victoriawalks.org.au/network_planning/">Principal Pedestrian Network</a>. The purpose has been to encourage and enable walking for transport, particularly since 2020 when COVID-19 lockdowns meant people were seeking more opportunities to exercise in their local area. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Zebra crossing at a T-intersection in a residential neighbourhood" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526023/original/file-20230514-98978-skp3ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/526023/original/file-20230514-98978-skp3ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526023/original/file-20230514-98978-skp3ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526023/original/file-20230514-98978-skp3ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=407&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526023/original/file-20230514-98978-skp3ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526023/original/file-20230514-98978-skp3ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/526023/original/file-20230514-98978-skp3ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=511&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A zebra crossing improves safety where it has been installed, but can lead to confusion at intersections without such crossings.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Geoffrey Browne</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Zebra crossings at T-intersections like the one pictured above are certainly well intentioned, and they over-ride rule 353(1)(b) to create pedestrian priority where it wouldn’t otherwise exist. The <a href="https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10592536">evidence</a> suggests such zebras crossings do improve safety <em>at the intersections where they are installed</em>. </p>
<p>At the same time, however, there is a very real risk that, without a rule change, the crossings unintentionally undermine walkability more widely. This is because when they are installed at some but not all intersections, they can lead people to believe that at sites where they are <em>not</em> installed, drivers do not have to give way to a pedestrian who is crossing the street into which the driver is turning. </p>
<p><a href="https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/SAJZCYWLOxh3N7NG7I9caLE?domain=authors.elsevier.com">Our research</a>, which was the first to examine this issue, found the risk of this unintended consequence is very real. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-all-have-to-walk-across-roads-why-arent-pedestrians-a-focus-of-road-safety-161183">We all have to walk across roads — why aren't pedestrians a focus of road safety?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>A rule change is the best answer</h2>
<p>We also interviewed traffic engineers, local government planners and walking experts. A clear majority agreed a rule change that requires drivers to give way to pedestrians at a stop or give way sign would improve road safety and promote walking. </p>
<p>It would taking some getting used to, but road rules have been changed before. </p>
<p>In 1993 the road rules in Victoria were changed for vehicles turning left at intersections to have the right of way before vehicles turning right. Previously, and somewhat counter-intuitively, it was the other way around. </p>
<p>From April 2021, motorists across Australia were required to give cyclists clearance of at least one metre when overtaking. </p>
<p>Both of these rule changes were accompanied by public awareness campaigns to ensure the community knew about them. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1385381499944329216"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/minimum-space-for-passing-cyclists-is-now-law-australia-wide-it-increases-safety-but-possibly-road-rage-too-159926">Minimum space for passing cyclists is now law Australia-wide. It increases safety – but possibly road rage too</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Encouraging walking has broader public benefits</h2>
<p>Requiring drivers approaching and turning at a T-intersection from any direction to give way to pedestrians would be an important simplification of the road rules. And the more the rules are biased toward the convenience of walkers, the more walkers there will be. </p>
<p>Importantly, changes like this can send subtle but powerful social signals that society values walking for transport because it reduces pollution and encourages incidental exercise. Such changes can play a small part in shifting communities from being car-dominated to enabling everyone, but particularly children, older people and people with disabilities, to feel safe to walk more.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205575/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Geoffrey Browne receives funding from the Australian Research Council (DP200101378) and is affiliated with the Public Health Association of Australia. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jonathan Flower receives research funding from the Department for Transport (UK), the National Institute for Health and Care Research (UK) and Innovate UK. He has previously received funding from the Road Safety Trust and Sustrans. He is affiliated with the Transport Planning Society as a Board Member.</span></em></p>Some councils have installed zebra crossings at selected T-intersections, where they do improve safety. The problem is they also add to the existing confusion at other intersections.Geoffrey Browne, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Design, The University of MelbourneJonathan Flower, Research Fellow, Centre for Transport and Society, University of the West of EnglandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2065792023-05-29T01:45:02Z2023-05-29T01:45:02ZSlow down Simeon Brown – bilingual traffic signs aren’t an accident waiting to happen<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528744/original/file-20230529-20-5vnr80.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=12%2C6%2C4182%2C2792&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>When the National Party’s transport spokesperson, Simeon Brown, <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/490741/they-should-be-in-english-national-to-ditch-te-reo-maori-traffic-signs">questioned the logic</a> of bilingual traffic signs, he seemed to echo his leader Christopher Luxon’s <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/132148491/christopher-luxon-worries-its-hard-to-understand-mori-names-what-bubble-is-he-in">earlier misgivings</a> about the now prevalent use of te reo Māori in government departments.</p>
<p>Genuine concern or political signalling in an election year? After all, Luxon himself has expressed interest in <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300498966/te-reo-skills-on-the-list-for-nationals-christopher-luxon-in-busy-2022">learning te reo</a>, and also <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/kiwi-traveller/300405327/more-than-m-te-w-how-air-new-zealand-is-helping-te-reo-mori-fly">encouraged its use</a> when he was CEO of Air New Zealand. He even
<a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/398589/maori-council-accuses-air-nz-of-appropriating-maori-culture">sought to trademark </a> “Kia Ora” as the title of the airline’s in-flight magazine.</p>
<p>And for his part, Brown has no problem with Māori place names on road signs. His concern is that important messaging about safety or directions should be readily understood. “Signs need to be clear,” he said. “We all speak English, and they should be in English.” Adding more words, he believes, is simply confusing.</p>
<p>It’s important to take Brown at his word, then, with a new selection of proposed bilingual signs now <a href="https://www.nzta.govt.nz/media-releases/next-set-of-bilingual-signs-released-for-public-consultation/">out for public consultation</a>. Given the National Party’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/24/new-zealand-national-party-admits-using-ai-generated-people-in-ads">enthusiastic embrace of AI</a> to generate pre-election advertising imagery, one obvious place to start is with ChatGPT, which tells us: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Bilingual traffic signs, which display information in two or more languages, are generally not considered a driver hazard. In fact, bilingual signage is often implemented to improve safety and ensure that drivers of different language backgrounds can understand and follow the traffic regulations. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>ChatGPT also suggests that by providing information about speed limits, directions and warnings, bilingual traffic signs “accommodate diverse communities and promote road safety for all drivers”.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1661981068390694912"}"></div></p>
<h2>Safety and culture</h2>
<p>With mounting concern over AI’s potential <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/may/26/future-ai-chilling-humans-threat-civilisation">existential threat</a> to human survival, however, it’s probably best we don’t take the bot’s word for it. Fortunately, government transport agency Waka Kotahi has already <a href="https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/research/research-notes/005/005-bilingual-traffic-signage.pdf">examined the use of bilingual traffic signs</a> in 19 countries across the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. It’s 2021 report states:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The use of bilingual traffic signage is common around the world and considered “standard” in the European Union. Culture, safety and commerce appear to be the primary impetuses behind bilingual signage.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bilingual-road-signs-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-would-tell-us-where-we-are-as-a-nation-150438">Bilingual road signs in Aotearoa New Zealand would tell us where we are as a nation</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Given Brown’s explicit preference for the use of English, it’s instructive that in the UK itself, the Welsh, Ulster Scots and Scots Gaelic languages appear alongside English on road signs in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.</p>
<p>More to the point, on the basis of the evidence it reviewed, Waka Kotahi concluded that – providing other important design considerations are attended to – bilingual traffic signs can both improve safety and respond to cultural aspirations:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In regions of Aotearoa New Zealand where people of Māori descent are over-represented in vehicle crash statistics, or where they represent a large proportion of the local population, bilingual traffic signage may impart benefits in terms of reducing harm on our road network.</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528742/original/file-20230529-19-43a10a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528742/original/file-20230529-19-43a10a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528742/original/file-20230529-19-43a10a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528742/original/file-20230529-19-43a10a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528742/original/file-20230529-19-43a10a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528742/original/file-20230529-19-43a10a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528742/original/file-20230529-19-43a10a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A bilingual road sign in Calgary, Canada.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>‘One people’</h2>
<p>Politically, however, the problem with a debate over bilingual road signs is that it quickly becomes another skirmish in the culture wars – echoing the common catchcry of those opposed to greater biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand: “we are one people”.</p>
<p>It’s a loaded phrase, originally attributed to the Crown’s representative Lieutenant Governor William Hobson, who supposedly said “he iwi tahi tātou” (we are one people) at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/you-cant-speak-what-you-cant-hear-how-maori-and-pacific-sports-stars-are-helping-revitalise-vulnerable-languages-203411">'You can’t speak what you can’t hear' – how Māori and Pacific sports stars are helping revitalise vulnerable languages</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Whether or not he said any such thing is up for debate. William Colenso, who was at Waitangi on the day and who reported Hobson’s words, thought he had. But Colenso’s account was published <a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/atea/30-11-2017/debunking-the-one-people-myth-a-historian-on-the-invention-of-hobsons-pledge">50 years after the events</a> in question (and just nine years before he died aged 89). </p>
<p>Either way, the assertion has since come to be favoured by those to whom the notion of cultural homogeneity appeals. It’s a common response to the increasing public visibility of te ao Māori (the Māori world). </p>
<p>But being “one people” means other things become singular too: <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018887327/benefit-fraudsters-face-harsher-penalties-than-white-collar-research">one law</a>, <a href="https://northandsouth.co.nz/2022/04/03/richard-dawkins-matauranga-maori-debate/">one science</a>, one language, one system. In other words, a non-Māori system, the one many of us take for granted as simply the way things are. </p>
<p>Any suggestion that system might incorporate or coexist with aspects of other systems – indeed might benefit from them – tends to come up against the kind of resistance we see to such things as bilingual road signs.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/putting-aotearoa-on-the-map-new-zealand-has-changed-its-name-before-why-not-again-168651">Putting Aotearoa on the map: New Zealand has changed its name before, why not again?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Fretful sleepers</h2>
<p>The discomfort many New Zealanders still feel with the use of te reo Māori in public settings brings to mind Bill Pearson’s famous 1952 essay, <a href="https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-PeaFret-t1-body-d1.html">Fretful Sleepers</a>. </p>
<p>In it, Pearson reflects on the anxiety that can seep unbidden into the lives of those who would like to live in a “wishfully untroubled world”, but who nonetheless sense things are not quite right out here on the margins of the globe. </p>
<p>Pearson lived in a very different New Zealand. But he had his finger on the same fear and defensiveness that can cause people to fret about the little things (like bilingual signs) when there are so many more consequential things to disrupt our sleep.</p>
<p>Anyway, Simeon Brown and his fellow fretful sleepers appear to be on the wrong side of history. Evidence suggests most New Zealanders would like to see more te reo Māori in their lives, not less. Two-thirds would like te reo <a href="https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/te-reo-maori-proficiency-and-support-continues-to-grow">taught as a core subject</a> in primary schools, and 56% think “signage should be in both te reo Māori and English”.</p>
<p>If the experience in other parts of the world is anything to go by, bilingual signage will be just another milestone on the road a majority seem happy to be on.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206579/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Richard Shaw does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Concern over bilingual road signs in New Zealand is as much political as it is about safety – but the international evidence suggests there’s little to worry about.Richard Shaw, Professor of Politics, Massey UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2032252023-04-06T07:02:46Z2023-04-06T07:02:46Z120 hours of supervised learner driving: our research suggests it may be too many<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519483/original/file-20230405-24-f2172w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>During the Easter school holidays, scores of learner drivers will hit the roads, with parents carefully logging all their driving hours. Many of us have experienced this process, whether as a learner, a supervisor, or both. </p>
<p>The requirement is particularly high in New South Wales and Victoria, where learners must complete a minimum of 120 hours of supervised driving before they can drive without supervision. This one of the highest requirements for learner drivers in the world.</p>
<p>We set out to answer whether this supervised driving practice actually makes for safer drivers. </p>
<p><a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2212.04043">Our study</a> evaluated the effect of two significant increases in the minimum supervised driving hours mandate in New South Wales: the 2000 reform from zero to 50 hours, and the 2007 reform from 50 to 120 hours.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-little-to-gain-and-much-to-lose-from-lowering-the-minimum-driving-age-69201">There's little to gain and much to lose from lowering the minimum driving age</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What we found</h2>
<p>By comparing people who turned 16 – the minimum age to obtain a learner permit – just before the policy changed to people who turned 16 just after, we were able to isolate the effect of these policy changes on motor vehicle accidents, while abstracting from other factors that might affect accidents. </p>
<p>Our dataset contained all licensing and crash records in New South Wales over the reform periods. The crash data include all serious crashes – those that led to a hospitalisation and/or a vehicle being towed.</p>
<p>Consider people born in July 1991, or later. They were subject to the 120-hour mandate. But those born slightly earlier were subject to the 50-hour mandate if they obtained their learners’ permit relatively quickly.</p>
<p>If the policy was effective, we would expect to see a sharp drop in crash rates for people who turned 16 after the 120-hour rule came in. But we discovered there was no such drop.</p>
<p>We analysed the data in several ways, all of which suggested no effect of the 2007 reform on crash rates. Because of our large sample size, we were confidently able to rule out any meaningful effects. We did observe a small delay in the average age of obtaining a provisional (P1) license of around one month.</p>
<p>In contrast, the first policy change was effective. We found that increasing supervision from zero to 50 hours reduced the probability of a motor vehicle accident in the first year of unsupervised driving from 6.9 to 5.4 percentage points, a reduction of 21%. However, there was no reduction in the probability of an accident beyond this 12-month window, suggesting the extra experience is helpful initially, but does not change long-term driving habits.</p>
<p>Since young males are at higher risk of crashing than females, we thought there might be differences by sex. In fact, the results were very similar for males and females.</p>
<p>It is important to note that we evaluated the policy mandate, but we cannot guarantee compliance with it. In practice, people may do more hours than required, or may over-report their hours, risking penalties if caught. Widespread non-compliance could undermine the effect of the mandate. However, available <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022437510000277">evidence</a> suggests that drivers in Australia are largely truthful in their reporting.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519490/original/file-20230405-22-avq814.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519490/original/file-20230405-22-avq814.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=396&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519490/original/file-20230405-22-avq814.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=396&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519490/original/file-20230405-22-avq814.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=396&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519490/original/file-20230405-22-avq814.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=498&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519490/original/file-20230405-22-avq814.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=498&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519490/original/file-20230405-22-avq814.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=498&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The study showed that while the change from 0-50 required hours of driving made a difference to safety, the further shift to 120 hours did not.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mick Tsikas/AAP</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why does this matter?</h2>
<p>Motor vehicle accidents are the <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/life-expectancy-death/deaths-in-australia/contents/leading-causes-of-death">second leading cause of death</a> for people aged 15-24 years in Australia. Many policies have aimed to lower the risk for young drivers, including the introduction of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduated_driver_licensing">graduated driver licensing</a> and associated features such as provisional speed limits, passenger restrictions and engine restrictions.</p>
<p>Minimum supervised driving hours is a potentially important tool for improving road safety, but until now has not been subjected to rigorous evaluation. Evaluating this policy is important, as there are costs involved with the mandate.</p>
<p>The obvious cost is the time of learners and supervisors. However, there may be other social costs as well. For example, by placing barriers to obtaining a licence, such policies can limit young people’s access to work and education, and entrench disadvantage, particularly for those from single parent and low income families, or those who have moved out of home and lack access to a licensed driver.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-parents-need-to-know-about-learner-drivers-four-key-lessons-30034">What parents need to know about learner drivers: four key lessons</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How many hours should the mandate be?</h2>
<p>Our findings suggest there are benefits to supervised driving experience. Moving from a regime of zero hours to 50 hours meaningfully reduced the risk of motor vehicle accidents. But moving from a regime of 50 to 120 hours provided no further benefits, suggesting the benefits are diminishing, and the mandate might be too high in New South Wales.</p>
<p>Like us, you might wonder where the 120 hours figure came from. We’re not certain, but a <a href="https://media.opengov.nsw.gov.au/pairtree_root/e6/74/85/cd/b3/c4/44/71/a5/bd/85/57/5e/68/0c/ca/obj/Report_No_217_Improving_road_s_Drivers_tabled_19_October_2011.PDF">2011 review</a> by the NSW auditor-general points to a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0001457599000457">Swedish study</a>. A group of young drivers who reported completing 118 hours of learner practice had a 35% lower accident risk than those reporting between 41-47 hours. </p>
<p>The problem is that it’s hard to attribute this difference in accident risk to the difference in reported hours, because the two groups of drivers were fundamentally different, having self-selected into different policy regimes and having experienced other policy differences as well. In particular, the former group were allowed to start driving a full 1.5 years before the latter group.</p>
<p>Where possible, policy changes should be informed by high-quality empirical evidence, and subjected to rigorous evaluation after they are implemented. For almost 25 years, teenagers in New South Wales have been logging their driving hours, but with little evidence on the benefits, until now. </p>
<p>Our results call for a re-think on how many hours learners should be required to complete, and suggest exploring other avenues for further improvements in the safety of young drivers.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203225/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Learner drivers in New South Wales are subject to some of the most stringent requirements before getting their licences – but our study shows it doesn’t necessarily make them safer drivers.Nathan Kettlewell, Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Economics Discipline Group, University of Technology SydneyPeter Siminski, Professor of Economics, University of Technology SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2025142023-04-04T20:20:59Z2023-04-04T20:20:59ZDriving on less than 5 hours of sleep is just as dangerous as drunk-driving, study finds<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519188/original/file-20230404-22-fyk2dy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=52%2C64%2C3748%2C2520&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Yellowj/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>What if you could be fined or lose your license for driving tired? Our new study <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S392441">just published in Nature and Science of Sleep</a> has found if you had less than five hours of sleep last night, you are just as likely to have a vehicle crash as if you were over the legal limit for alcohol. </p>
<p>We know about 20% of all vehicle crashes <a href="https://www.aaa.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Fatigue-Driving-Literature-Review-FINAL.pdf">are caused by fatigue</a>. Over the past 20 years, the number of crashes caused by alcohol <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3074684/">has decreased significantly</a>.</p>
<p>However, there has been little progress over this same period in decreasing the number of crashes caused by fatigue. We wanted to know – can this be changed?</p>
<h2>A ‘line in the sand’ on impaired driving</h2>
<p>Recent decreases in alcohol-related car crashes have happened for a few reasons:</p>
<ul>
<li> a significant investment in public education</li>
<li> drivers have easy-to-follow guidance on how to decide if they are too intoxicated to drive (for example, <a href="https://www.forgov.qld.gov.au/mail-facilities-and-vehicles/vehicles/driver-safety-in-the-workplace/fitness-to-drive/alcohol-and-drugs">the advice to have</a> “two drinks in the first hour, and one drink every hour after that”)</li>
<li> strong enforcement strategies, including roadside testing</li>
<li> highly publicised drunk-driving legal cases.</li>
</ul>
<p>Additionally, drivers are legally deemed to be impaired if their blood alcohol concentration is over 0.05%, regardless of their driving performance. This blood alcohol limit is an effective “line in the sand”, determining whether someone is <em>legally</em> permitted to drive.</p>
<p>We did a study to find out if we could reduce the number of fatigue-related crashes on Australian roads by following a similar strategy. Is there a point at which we could deem a driver to be impaired due to fatigue?</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519183/original/file-20230404-24-w0roze.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A road sign that reads 'fatigue zone question - highest mountain in Queensland?'" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519183/original/file-20230404-24-w0roze.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/519183/original/file-20230404-24-w0roze.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519183/original/file-20230404-24-w0roze.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519183/original/file-20230404-24-w0roze.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519183/original/file-20230404-24-w0roze.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519183/original/file-20230404-24-w0roze.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/519183/original/file-20230404-24-w0roze.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">On some highways in Queensland, ‘fatigue zone trivia’ signs were installed to help combat driver fatigue.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ribeiroantonio/Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A minimum amount of shuteye?</h2>
<p>To do this, we evaluated the scientific evidence from laboratory and field studies that looked at how much prior sleep you need to drive safely.</p>
<p>After synthesising the findings of 61 unique studies, we found having less than four to five hours of sleep in the previous 24 hours is associated with an approximate doubling of the risk of a vehicle crash. This is the same risk of a crash seen when drivers have a <a href="https://www.safetylit.org/citations/index.php?fuseaction=citations.viewdetails&citationIds%5B%5D=citjournalarticle_246699_38">blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%</a>. </p>
<p>Not only this, but a driver’s risk of a crash significantly increases with each hour of sleep lost the night before. Some studies even suggested that when a driver had between zero and four hours of sleep the previous night, they may be up to 15 times <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/41/10/zsy144/5067408?fbclid=IwAR0AjP-AnjhQ8CL7GELL4WIBwyPp9a_2AcIslfd5lqJsoyjofnmwA7wKh7I&login=false#122160242%20%20%20%20https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12643949/">more likely to have a crash</a>. </p>
<p>Our review suggests that based on the scientific evidence, it may be reasonable to require drivers to have a certain amount of sleep before getting behind the wheel. If we were to align with the degree of risk considered acceptable for intoxication, we may consider requiring a minimum of four to five hours of sleep prior to driving. </p>
<p>However, we must consider more than just the scientific evidence. For the most part, drinking alcohol is something individuals choose to do. Many people cannot decide to get more sleep – for example, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369847822001310">new parents</a>, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/occmed/article/53/2/89/1519783">shift workers</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Harleen-Kaur-31/publication/328228834_Insomnia_Chronic/links/5cebd70e92851c4eabc183c8/Insomnia-Chronic.pdf">people with sleep disorders</a>. Not only that, but for fatigued driving to be regulated, there would need to be significant public support. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/when-is-it-time-to-stop-driving-will-mandatory-assessments-of-older-drivers-make-our-roads-safer-200352">When is it time to stop driving? Will mandatory assessments of older drivers make our roads safer?</a>
</strong>
</em>
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<h2>Is the law even an option?</h2>
<p>We must also consider how such a law would be implemented. There is no current way to evaluate fatigue at the roadside – no breath test or blood test that can evaluate how much sleep you have had, or how impaired you are. As a result, regulating fatigue would likely need to happen in the event of a crash. Was the driver impaired due to fatigue at the time, and are they therefore legally responsible? </p>
<p>Regulating fatigued driving is not a new idea. In New Jersey, “Maggie’s Law” legislation finds drivers to be legally impaired if they have had zero hours of sleep in the previous 24 hours. This law, implemented in 2003 after a fatigued driver killed a college student, <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/sleepless-in-america/200811/maggies-law">would be considered by many to be quite permissive</a>. That is, a lot of people would expect you would need more than zero hours of sleep in the previous 24 hours to be able to drive safely. However, in Australia in 2023, there is no similar requirement to ensure you are sufficiently rested to get behind the wheel.</p>
<p>We are currently consulting with a range of community members and road safety stakeholders on what the next step might be for regulating fatigued driving in Australia. Preliminary findings indicate that at the very least, more specific public education and guidance for drivers on how to avoid driving while fatigued would be welcomed. For example, easy-to-follow advice on how to decide whether or not you are too fatigued to drive would likely be well received. </p>
<p>While Australia might be a little while off legislating how much sleep to get before getting behind the wheel, we suggest keeping the amount of sleep you’ve had in the previous 24 hours in mind. If you’ve slept less than five hours, you probably shouldn’t drive. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-people-tailgate-a-psychology-expert-explains-whats-behind-this-common-and-annoying-driving-habit-193462">Why do people tailgate? A psychology expert explains what's behind this common (and annoying) driving habit</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202514/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Madeline Sprajcer receives funding from the Office of Road Safety. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Drew Dawson receives research funding from a range of government and private organisations. These typically involve funding to research the adverse effects of insufficient sleep on workplace health and safety and ways to minimise negative outcomes. He also receives royalty income from licensing arrangements for software products that help organisations measure and mitigate fatigue-related risk (the FAID and FatigueFit product suites). Finally, he is a subject matter expert for a variety of Australian and international safety regulators on matters relating to the identification, measurement and mitigation of fatigue-related risk. </span></em></p>There’s a blood alcohol limit for legally being permitted to drive. Should we have a ‘fatigue limit’?Madeline Sprajcer, Lecturer in Psychology, CQUniversity AustraliaDrew Dawson, Director, Appleton Institute, CQUniversity AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2003522023-03-06T02:47:22Z2023-03-06T02:47:22ZWhen is it time to stop driving? Will mandatory assessments of older drivers make our roads safer?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513063/original/file-20230302-15-plcira.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=936%2C682%2C4020%2C2678&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australia is a nation of car owners with a <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/older-people/older-australians/contents/demographic-profile">rapidly ageing population</a>. Drivers aged over 70 have nearly <a href="https://www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/road-users/older-people">doubled in number</a> in the past 20 years. The trend is the same for <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/sites/default/files/Annual_2018_TablesOnly.xlsx">hospitalisations and fatalities</a> due to crashes involving older drivers. </p>
<p>Ageing itself is not a barrier to safe driving. Even so, our ability to drive safely can become compromised as we get older. It can be difficult to know what to do if you have concerns about someone’s driving. </p>
<p>So, how can we ensure ageing family members and friends are safe on the roads? And should regular assessment of drivers over a certain age be mandatory? Some states and territories require it, others don’t.</p>
<h2>What affects our ability to drive safety?</h2>
<p>Driving is a complex task. A driver must be alert and respond quickly to any changes, especially in an emergency. </p>
<p><a href="https://adf.org.au/insights/drugs-and-driving/">Substance usage</a>, <a href="https://www.aaa.asn.au/research/fatigued-driving/">fatigue</a> and <a href="https://www.aaa.asn.au/research/distracted-driving/">distraction</a> all affect a person’s ability to drive safely. So, too, do many of the changes that happen with advancing age. </p>
<p>Declining mobility, eyesight or hearing can impact some of the more obvious skills needed for safe driving. This might include the ability to turn and check mirrors, or to hear other vehicles. Advancing age can also lead to a decline in more hidden skills of safe driving, including our ability to plan effectively, think quickly and react appropriately. </p>
<p>Many older people are able to keep driving safely, though, and recognising the signs of a potential problem can be tricky. However, there are practical steps individuals, families and friends can take to ensure the safety of older drivers and other road users. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Elderly woman behind the wheel of a car gives a thumbs-up" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513082/original/file-20230302-21-xfk2ca.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513082/original/file-20230302-21-xfk2ca.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513082/original/file-20230302-21-xfk2ca.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513082/original/file-20230302-21-xfk2ca.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513082/original/file-20230302-21-xfk2ca.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513082/original/file-20230302-21-xfk2ca.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513082/original/file-20230302-21-xfk2ca.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Deciding when a person should stop driving can be challenging, especially when they don’t think there’s any problem.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What rules apply around Australia?</h2>
<p>Licensing requirements for senior drivers vary a lot among Australian states and territories. </p>
<p>Broadly speaking, drivers aged 75 years and older must have a medical assessment each year to keep their licence in <a href="https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/ontheroad-65plus/licences.html#:%7E:text=75Plus,to%20take%20to%20your%20doctor">New South Wales</a>, <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/seniors/transport/senior-drivers/safe-driving">Queensland</a>, <a href="https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/road-safety-commission/seniors">Western Australia</a> (over 80) and the <a href="https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s/article/act-driver-licence-information-tab-medical-conditions">ACT</a>. In <a href="https://www.transport.tas.gov.au/licensing/health_and_driving/driving_as_you_age">Tasmania</a> senior drivers are asked to volunteer information about any conditions that might negatively affect their driving. </p>
<p>People can drive freely up to any age in <a href="https://www.police.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/955033/Older-Road-Users-Fitness-To-Drive-Fact-Sheet.pdf">South Australia</a>, <a href="https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/licences/health-and-driving/how-ageing-can-affect-your-driving#:%7E:text=In%20Victoria%2C%20you're%20allowed,health%20could%20affect%20your%20driving">Victoria</a> and the <a href="https://roadsafety.nt.gov.au/safety-topics/seniors">Northern Territory</a>. It’s up to the individual to ensure they’re <a href="https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/licences/health-and-driving/information-for-health-professionals/medical-review-process">medically safe to drive</a>. </p>
<p>So, do these differences between states have a major impact on the safety of older drivers? Not really. Some <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2003.11.003">early research</a> showed older drivers in jurisdictions with more stringent rules (such as NSW) were no less likely to be injured or killed in a traffic crash than people in states with voluntary reporting requirements (such as Victoria). </p>
<p>This finding points to the need for multi-tiered – rather than simply age-based – assessment for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2006.06.009">identifying older at-risk drivers</a>. It requires the involvement of a range of health practitioners in more elaborate types of assessment.</p>
<p>Despite these differences in rules and regulations, a common theme is to ensure a person can drive safely, independently and legally. Exactly what that means, and how it is evaluated, is decidedly less clear. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/busted-5-myths-about-30km-h-speed-limits-in-australia-160547">Busted: 5 myths about 30km/h speed limits in Australia</a>
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<h2>How do you know if someone is safe to drive?</h2>
<p>There is no standard way to test a person’s fitness to drive. </p>
<p>National <a href="https://austroads.com.au/publications/assessing-fitness-to-drive/ap-g56/assessing-fitness-to-drive-general-guidance/impact-of-medical-conditions-on-driving#aftd-a-2-2-7">driver medical guidelines</a> outline minimum standards that people should meet to be considered medically safe to drive. The guidelines do not outline how medical safety is assessed nor how we can help older people recognise the signs of declining driving ability. They also do not provide advice on exactly what tests can be used. </p>
<p>Requiring older drivers to complete an advanced driving test (such as on a closed track) would clearly show whether they are fit to drive. However, these tests are very costly, impractical and difficult. </p>
<p>Cognitive screening tests are a practical stand-in solution to test for a decline in many functions needed for driving, such as vision, cognition and motor abilities. The tests range in difficulty from the simpler <a href="https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-clock-drawing-test-98619">pen-and-paper clock drawing</a> or the <a href="https://www.verywellhealth.com/dementia-screening-tool-the-trail-making-test-98624">trail-making test</a>, which can be done at home, to the more complicated <a href="https://www.verywellhealth.com/alzheimers-and-montreal-cognitive-assessment-moca-98617">Montreal Cognitive Assessment</a>. While these tests are not able to diagnose medical disorders, they reliably indicate whether a person has dementia. </p>
<p>A recent <a href="https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jgs.18157">study in Japan</a> found a decrease in motor vehicle collisions after a cognitive screening test became mandatory during licence renewals for its relatively <a href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20191025-how-japan-is-handling-more-ageing-drivers">high proportion of drivers over 75</a>. As this test also assessed whether they were likely to have dementia, it helped identify and remove the most impaired drivers. This approach might help provide a standard way to quickly identity Australian drivers who are most at risk.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/should-older-people-and-those-with-dementia-have-their-licences-revoked-57667">Should older people and those with dementia have their licences revoked?</a>
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<h2>Not being able to drive also has impacts</h2>
<p>For many older Australians, having a driver’s licence provides a critical link between health outcomes, mobility and social connectedness. It’s worth noting the Japanese study found cycling and pedestrian injuries increased in the age group affected by mandatory cognitive testing. This was <a href="https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/research-news/20230127140000.html">attributed</a> to the enforced change in their options for getting around. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-all-have-to-walk-across-roads-why-arent-pedestrians-a-focus-of-road-safety-161183">We all have to walk across roads — why aren't pedestrians a focus of road safety?</a>
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<p>Therefore, determining whether an older person is fit to drive should involve proactive conversation, with the goal of enabling them to keep driving for as long as it is safe. </p>
<p>Some <a href="https://www.police.vic.gov.au/older-drivers">easy ways</a> to help older drivers remain confident and safe include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>planning trips in advance</p></li>
<li><p>driving in daytime only</p></li>
<li><p>avoiding peak-hour traffic </p></li>
<li><p>getting regular check-ups that test sight, hearing and mobility. </p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Older man driving at night" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513092/original/file-20230302-29-pcm01y.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513092/original/file-20230302-29-pcm01y.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513092/original/file-20230302-29-pcm01y.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513092/original/file-20230302-29-pcm01y.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513092/original/file-20230302-29-pcm01y.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513092/original/file-20230302-29-pcm01y.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513092/original/file-20230302-29-pcm01y.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Driving at night is typically more challenging than daytime driving, especially once eyesight has deteriorated.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Another thing to consider is that older drivers are more likely to drive <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2022/01/12/aging-out-older-drivers-driving-older-cars-are-at-the-greatest-risk-of-getting-into-fatal-crashes/?sh=5ca546ca64b2">old vehicles</a> that lack the technology that keeps us safe before, during and after a crash. Choosing a vehicle that provides the <a href="https://www.ancap.com.au/">best protection</a> makes a difference – drive the safest one you can afford. </p>
<p>If driving has become too difficult or unsafe, it is important that family and friends help with the transition from driving. There’s a need to consider how life can best continue as normal without the use of a vehicle. This might involve conversations about how to access community services and other ways of getting around, whether public or private transport. </p>
<p>Advancing age does not always mean a loss of driving ability. Nonetheless, recognising warning signs will help all drivers safely use the roads. Regular health assessments that include cognitive screening tests, making proactive changes in driving practices and choosing the safest vehicle possible are all practical ways we can help ensure older drivers stay safe.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200352/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amie Hayley is supported by an Al and Val Rosenstrauss Fellowship from the Rebecca L. Cooper Foundation in her role at Swinburne University of Technology. She is the Assistant Treasurer at the International Council for Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety (ICADTS), and is the Founding Chair of the working group for Driver Monitoring Systems.
She has previously received grant funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the Department of Transport, the Department of Health and Human Services and Cannvalate. She currently receives federal funding from the Department of Infrastructure (Office of Road Safety), and industry funding from Seeing Machines Ltd. </span></em></p>Deciding when someone no longer has the ability to drive safely can be difficult – and it’s not just a matter of age. But there are practical steps we can take to ensure older drivers are safe.Amie Hayley, Rebecca L. Cooper Al & Val Rosenstrauss Fellow and Senior Research Fellow, Swinburne University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1946282023-01-08T19:00:08Z2023-01-08T19:00:08ZRoad to nowhere: why the suburban cul-de-sac is an urban planning dead end<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501459/original/file-20221216-16-2kw7io.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=16%2C0%2C5375%2C3653&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The cul-de-sac is a suburban trap. It’s virtually useless as a road, doesn’t support public transport, cycling or walking, and doesn’t work well as a play or gathering place. Its literal translation from the French is “bottom of a sack” – which sounds a lot less glamorous, you’ll agree.</p>
<p>And yet we persist with them. The calls for more housing that resonate across many urban societies almost always include plans to repurpose broad swathes of agricultural land into single-family housing serviced by twisting strands of cul-de-sac-capped roads. </p>
<p>But there is a danger in embracing this type of development. Despite the French name, the cul-de-sac as it exists today is not even from Europe. Like many modern transport nightmares, it originated in the car-oriented suburban planning of 1950s America, a defence against the <a href="https://www.archio.co.uk/blog/2015/12/01/cul-de-sac-desirable-enclave-or-dead-end/">perceived threat of the inner city</a>.</p>
<p>Cul-de-sacs were envisioned initially as <a href="https://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1030&context=cplan_papers">small offshoots from more traditional grid roads</a>. They eventually morphed into isolated loops at the end of curvilinear patterns where only residents of the suburb would travel. They are the antithesis of connectivity.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501465/original/file-20221216-11243-vt001y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501465/original/file-20221216-11243-vt001y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501465/original/file-20221216-11243-vt001y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501465/original/file-20221216-11243-vt001y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501465/original/file-20221216-11243-vt001y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501465/original/file-20221216-11243-vt001y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501465/original/file-20221216-11243-vt001y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Developers favour cul-de-sacs partly because they allow for building more single-family houses.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A developer’s dream</h2>
<p>In pushing the cul-de-sac, land and housing developers were merely continuing with a misguided notion that began with suburbs in general: those endless landscapes of single-family homes on large sections were promoted as a way to re-engage with the community and escape the rat race of city living. </p>
<p>But studies have shown residents of suburbs have much <a href="https://www.tesd.net/cms/lib/PA01001259/Centricity/Domain/1114/BowlingAlone.pdf">lower rates of civic engagement</a> than those living in a more urban environment.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/electric-cars-alone-wont-save-the-planet-well-need-to-design-cities-so-people-can-walk-and-cycle-safely-171818">Electric cars alone won’t save the planet. We'll need to design cities so people can walk and cycle safely</a>
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<p>Developers told us cul-de-sacs were more efficient because they allowed higher densities. While not entirely a lie, it isn’t the whole truth either. Developers favour cul-de-sacs partly because they allow for building <a href="https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5455743">more single-family houses</a> on oddly shaped land or closer to natural features than would otherwise be possible with a grid. Cul-de-sac suburbs often completely ignore topography or nature in their development.</p>
<p>Developers also favour cul-de-sacs because they require up to <a href="https://www.accessmagazine.org/spring-2004/reconsidering-cul-de-sac/">50% less road</a>, fewer pipes, streetlights and footpaths compared to traditional grid street patterns. </p>
<p>Snaking, disconnected cul-de-sac streetscapes mean less road to construct compared to a well-connected grid with more complex street hierarchies. But that also means fewer kilometres of footpaths, bike lanes and through-streets for public transport.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501466/original/file-20221216-17105-4lk7i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/501466/original/file-20221216-17105-4lk7i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501466/original/file-20221216-17105-4lk7i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501466/original/file-20221216-17105-4lk7i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501466/original/file-20221216-17105-4lk7i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501466/original/file-20221216-17105-4lk7i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/501466/original/file-20221216-17105-4lk7i7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The very nature of cul-de-sacs means residents often require a car.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Getty Images</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Costly and impractical</h2>
<p>Suburban single-family housing on “greenfield” development is cheap to build and has a high profit margin. Unfortunately, disconnected, car-centric, large-home suburbs result in higher per capita infrastructure costs, vehicle ownership and travel time costs, and higher overall purchase prices. And the real cost of suburban living is met by <a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2019/10/18/why-your-sprawling-low-density-suburb-may-be-costing-your-local-government-money/">governments, councils and residents</a>. </p>
<p>True, people are often attracted to cul-de-sacs because they’re seen as having minimal traffic. Ironically, the very nature of cul-de-sacs means residents <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-09-19/the-problem-with-cul-de-sac-design">often require a car</a> as their primary mode of transport. People searching for a refuge from the noise, pollution and danger of cars have backed themselves – literally – into a corner.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/triumph-of-the-mall-how-victor-gruens-grand-urban-vision-became-our-suburban-shopping-reality-172393">Triumph of the mall: how Victor Gruen’s grand urban vision became our suburban shopping reality</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The isolated and circuitous nature of cul-de-sac suburbs means there is often no access to public transportation. And active modes like walking, cycling and scooting are impractical. A lack of alternatives to the car means suburban residents have higher rates of car ownership – an added expense inner-city residents often don’t face.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, children might be only a few streets away from their friends, but in a jumble of winding roads and dead ends it’s <a href="https://hbr.org/2010/05/back-to-the-city">virtually impossible</a> to walk or cycle quickly to each other’s houses. Even that time-honoured rite of passage – walking alone to school – is impractical in this type of development.</p>
<p>Because these winding roads without any obvious focal point also often have low traffic volumes, they can’t support land uses other than low-density residences. As a result, even grabbing milk and bread from the dairy can involve a trip of several kilometres.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/urban-planning-is-now-on-the-front-line-of-the-climate-crisis-this-is-what-it-means-for-our-cities-and-towns-193452">Urban planning is now on the front line of the climate crisis. This is what it means for our cities and towns</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>No exit</h2>
<p>Compared to the straight lines of traditional developments, the curvilinear roads that sweep through modern subdivisions might seem relaxing, even pastoral. But lurking around every curve is a hidden danger. </p>
<p>Lines of sight are significantly reduced, making every car backing out of its driveway a <a href="https://usa.streetsblog.org/2011/06/07/cul-de-sacs-are-killing-us-public-safety-lessons-from-suburbia/">risk for other motorists</a>. For pedestrians and people on bikes, this lack of visibility presents a significant danger.</p>
<p>New developments also tend to have wider streets and fewer intersections, encouraging faster driving. Higher speeds and lower visibility can be a deadly combination. Studies have shown fatal car crashes are <a href="https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/article/10.1057/udi.2009.31">270% more likely</a> in newer, cul-de-sac-laden developments compared to older traditional neighbourhoods.</p>
<p>All in all, giving something a French name might make it sound classy, but a cul-de-sac is really just a dead end. And that’s exactly what cul-de-sac subdivisions are, too – an urban planning dead end.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194628/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Timothy Welch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Developers love the cul-de-sac, but for the rest of us it’s one of the least practical and efficient ways to design streets.Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata RauLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1934622023-01-02T19:44:23Z2023-01-02T19:44:23ZWhy do people tailgate? A psychology expert explains what’s behind this common (and annoying) driving habit<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494375/original/file-20221109-11-48ns1b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C998%2C664&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/angry-man-driving-vehicle-without-seat-164132411">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s hot, you’ve had a battle to get the kids in the car, and now you’re going to be late for the family lunch. </p>
<p>You turn onto the freeway only to get stuck behind a slow driver in the fast lane. You want them to move over or speed up, so you drive a little closer. Then closer. Then so close it would be difficult to avoid hitting them if they stopped suddenly. </p>
<p>When that doesn’t work you honk the horn. Nothing. Finally, frustrated, you dart into the left lane and speed past them.</p>
<p>Today was one of those days where many small annoyances have led to you being aggressive on the road. This isn’t how you usually drive. So why was today different?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/tailgating-is-stressful-and-dangerous-our-research-examines-ways-it-might-be-stopped-173915">Tailgating is stressful and dangerous. Our research examines ways it might be stopped</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Aren’t holidays supposed to be relaxing?</h2>
<p>Holiday driving may look a lot different to your usual commute. It may involve driving longer distances, or involve more frequent driving with more passengers than usual in the car. </p>
<p>Holiday driving comes with <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/road_deaths_australia_monthly_bulletins">increased risk</a> (road deaths tend to spike during the holidays). That’s why news bulletins often carry the latest “road toll” figures around public holidays. </p>
<p>But whether you drive differently to normal comes down to the value you place on your <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-4575(03)00037-X">time</a>, rather than when you drive. </p>
<p>If you are in a rush, your time becomes more precious because you have less of it. If something, or someone, infringes on that time, you may become frustrated and aggressive.</p>
<p>This is basic human psychology. You can get angry when someone gets in the way of what you are trying to achieve. You get angrier when you think they are acting <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.106.1.59">unfairly or inappropriately</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/road-rage-why-normal-people-become-harmful-on-the-roads-60845">Road rage: why normal people become harmful on the roads</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Usually before you respond, you evaluate what has happened, asking who is at fault and if they could have done things differently. </p>
<p>But when you are driving, you have less time and resources to make detailed evaluations. Instead, you make quick judgements of the situation and how best to deal with it. </p>
<p>These judgements can be based on how you are <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-3514.81.1.146">feeling</a> at the time. If you are frustrated before getting in the car, you are likely to be easily frustrated while driving, blame other drivers more for your circumstances, and express this through aggressive driving.</p>
<p>Tailgating and speeding <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(01)00063-8">are examples</a> of this aggression.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1573200836691660802"}"></div></p>
<p>A driver frustrated by the perception that someone is driving too slowly, or in the wrong lane, might speed past the offending driver, and maintain this speed for some time <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2010.551184">after the event</a>. </p>
<p>Aggressive tailgating may be seen as reprimanding the driver for their perceived slow speeds, or to encourage them to move out of the way. </p>
<p>The problem is, when you are angry, you underestimate the risk of these behaviours, while <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0022-3514.81.1.146">over-estimating</a> how much control you have of the situation. It’s not worth the risk. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1513271113">study of real-world driving</a> shows both tailgating and speeding increase the odds of being in a crash more than if driving while holding or dialling a mobile phone. Drivers who are tailgating or speeding have a 13 to 14-fold increase in odds of being in a crash, compared to when they are driving more safely.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/do-people-drive-differently-in-the-rain-heres-what-the-research-says-181777">Do people drive differently in the rain? Here's what the research says</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Here’s what you can do</h2>
<p>One way to stay safe on the roads these holidays is to recognise the situations that may lead to your own dangerous behaviours. </p>
<p>The Monash University Accident Research Centre has <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2022.07.011">developed a program</a> to help drivers reduce their aggressive driving. This helps drivers develop their own strategies to stay calm while driving, recognising that one strategy is unlikely to suit every driver. </p>
<p>Almost 100 self-identified aggressive drivers <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437522000998?via%3Dihub">developed</a> four types of tips to remain calm while driving:</p>
<ol>
<li><p><strong>before driving:</strong> tips include better journey planning, allowing enough time for the trip and recognising how you are feeling before you get in the car </p></li>
<li><p><strong>while driving:</strong> this includes travelling in the left lane to avoid slow drivers in the right lane, or pulling over when feeling angry</p></li>
<li><p><strong>in your vehicle:</strong> such as deep breathing or listening to music</p></li>
<li><p><strong>‘rethinking’ the situation:</strong> acknowledge that in some situations, the only thing you can change is how you think about it. For example, ask yourself is it worth the risk? Or personalise the other driver. What if that was your loved one in the car in front?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Four months after completing the program, drivers reported less anger and aggression while driving than before the program. The strategies that worked best for these drivers were listening to music, focusing on staying calm and rethinking the problem.</p>
<p>A favourite rethink was a 5x5x5 strategy. This involved asking yourself whether the cause of your anger will matter in five minutes, five hours or five days. If it is unlikely to matter after this time, it is best to let go. </p>
<p>The holidays are meant to be relaxing and joyous. Let’s not jeopardise that through reactions to other drivers.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/193462/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Amanda Stephens works for Monash University Accident Research Centre.
The program to reduce aggressive driving referred to in this article was made possible with the support of the ACT Road Safety Fund</span></em></p>It’s the holidays and for many of us, that means driving. Here’s how to keep your cool on the road this summer.Amanda Stephens, Senior Research Fellow Monash University Accident Research Centre, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1872762022-09-28T01:38:23Z2022-09-28T01:38:23ZCars have taken over our neighbourhoods. Kid-friendly superblocks are a way for residents to reclaim their streets<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/479029/original/file-20220814-50222-hwy9zu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=47%2C0%2C1338%2C842&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption"></span> <span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>You might <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14733285.2013.779839">remember</a> your time as a child playing outdoors with friends and walking to school. These activities had tremendous benefits for our health and <a href="https://theconversation.com/japans-old-enough-and-australias-bluey-remind-us-our-kids-are-no-longer-free-range-but-we-can-remake-our-neighbourhoods-187698">development</a>. </p>
<p>Today, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31728600/">parents</a> report <a href="https://www.activehealthykids.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Australia-report-card-long-form-2022.pdf">barriers</a> to letting their kids play, walk and ride in their neighbourhood. The <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/road_trauma_2021.pdf">safety of local streets</a> is a major concern. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1558432354774941697"}"></div></p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/japans-old-enough-and-australias-bluey-remind-us-our-kids-are-no-longer-free-range-but-we-can-remake-our-neighbourhoods-187698">Japan's Old Enough and Australia's Bluey remind us our kids are no longer ‘free range’ – but we can remake our neighbourhoods</a>
</strong>
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</p>
<hr>
<p>One way to boost communities is to create “superblocks for kids”. <a href="https://theconversation.com/superblocks-are-transforming-barcelona-they-might-work-in-australian-cities-too-123354">Pioneered in cities like Barcelona</a>, a superblock covers several neighbourhood blocks reserved for shared use by cyclists, walkers and residents who simply want to use the street space. Superblocks allow low-speed access for residents’ cars, but exclude through-traffic. </p>
<p>Superblocks have evolved from concepts <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oraG2MGl4VE">dating back to the 1970s</a>. <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@-31.9349317,115.8686231,3a,75y,5.21h,82.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxeflWnVi2bqqmDCD0wLT4Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192">Retrofitted</a> and <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@-32.0470261,115.8933683,1570m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e3">planned</a> examples of more liveable and safer streets can be found from <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@-37.804428,144.979702,3a,75y,8.4h,76.46t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s59HMKivqcGMrg0Ql43KOfQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656">Melbourne</a> to <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@-31.9496249,115.8302244,3a,75y,92.51h,76.42t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sLIGkmJTpN4J1AVjmEAjbaw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656">Perth</a>, where there are interesting alternative designs in <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@-32.048114,115.8890443,913m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e3">Willetton</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-23/crestwood-estate-50-years-as-perfect-radburn-neighbourhood/11981830">Crestwood</a>. </p>
<p>Transforming neighbourhoods in this way enables us to once again enjoy the public space right on our doorsteps – the street. </p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/484750/original/file-20220915-23-lbl8uf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/484750/original/file-20220915-23-lbl8uf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/484750/original/file-20220915-23-lbl8uf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=692&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/484750/original/file-20220915-23-lbl8uf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=692&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/484750/original/file-20220915-23-lbl8uf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=692&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/484750/original/file-20220915-23-lbl8uf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=870&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/484750/original/file-20220915-23-lbl8uf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=870&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/484750/original/file-20220915-23-lbl8uf.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=870&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/superblocks-are-transforming-barcelona-they-might-work-in-australian-cities-too-123354">Superblocks are transforming Barcelona. They might work in Australian cities too</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Superblocks for kids are a low-cost fix</h2>
<p>Superblocks are a <a href="https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/051/052/original/3._Jericho_and_Walton_Manor_LTN_-_Proctor_Final_Report_V1.3.pdf">low-cost</a> solution to the problem of the residential “stroad” – a street-road hybrid that drivers use to avoid congested main roads, many at <a href="https://theconversation.com/busted-5-myths-about-30km-h-speed-limits-in-australia-160547">unsafe speeds</a>.</p>
<p>These stroads are a troubled mix of <a href="https://www.movementandplace.nsw.gov.au/place-and-network/classifying-street-environments">two different functions</a>: roads are through routes, and streets connect neighbourhoods socially and physically. Streets connect houses to local parks, shops and through routes, but are also public places themselves. The dual role of stroads comes at the expense of residents and their children.</p>
<p>Superblocks for kids can be retrofitted to existing suburbs to create safer, quieter and more play-friendly streets. They are typically about a square kilometre in area, bounded by main roads and features such as rivers. Ideally, superblocks are clustered together to provide safe access to local amenities and public transport hubs. </p>
<p>Everyone can still drive to their home in a superblock, but they might have to take a slightly longer, more <a href="https://youtu.be/oraG2MGl4VE?t=33">circular route</a>. This can reduce traffic by nudging residents to walk and cycle short journeys within their superblock. </p>
<p>Various <a href="https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/051/052/original/3._Jericho_and_Walton_Manor_LTN_-_Proctor_Final_Report_V1.3.pdf">low-cost</a> “filters” exclude through traffic. These filters include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@-31.9496249,115.8302244,3a,75y,92.51h,76.42t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sLIGkmJTpN4J1AVjmEAjbaw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656">pocket parks</a> – small areas of community green space</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@-31.9728779,115.8167766,3a,71.8y,188.82h,87.89t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sH2FiGTuQHMGGTbWyOhjPxg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DH2FiGTuQHMGGTbWyOhjPxg%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D56.536392%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656">modal filters</a> – bollards, gates or planters exclude cars but allow access for walkers and cyclists</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@-31.9725159,115.808683,76a,35y,132.97h,45.04t/data=!3m1!1e3">diagonal filters</a> – used at four-way intersections </p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@-32.0154036,115.8394934,3a,75y,78.66h,92.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1seZ_PWurDTQ7BJhQGxJP0CQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192">end-of-street filters</a> – open cul-de-sacs to walkers and cyclists</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@57.1638085,-2.107094,3a,75y,234.63h,76.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s13C-oq1ZFumA59I4OtsADw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192">bus gates</a> – automatic numberplate recognition or rising bollards allow bus access</p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@-31.9530002,115.8753023,3a,90y,64.55h,82.46t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sMHWZZaoOKcVDDyhI9Ubfhw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656">banned turns</a></p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@-31.9531593,115.8769044,3a,75y,53.58h,74.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1soAij39oddR8sFWzA-KSjbw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192">one-way streets</a>.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The resulting superblocks are <a href="https://www.healthystreets.com/what-is-healthy-streets">places</a> where kids play on the streets, which are quiet and easy to cross. There’s shade and shelter, places to stop and rest, things to see and do, and the air is clean. People feel safe and relaxed. Neighbourhoods like this promote <a href="https://www.healthystreets.com/">public health and community camaraderie</a>.</p>
<p>Four examples of streets that could be transformed in this way are shown below:</p>
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<h2>Lyall Street, Redcliffe, Perth</h2>
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<p>A pocket park breaks up a rat run to the airport.</p>
<h2>The Avenue, Mount St Thomas, Wollongong</h2>
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<p>Plantings and bollards eliminate a known rat run.</p>
<h2>Lithgow Street, Abbotsford, Melbourne</h2>
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<p>Wider kerbs make school drop-offs and pick-ups safer.</p>
<h2>Meymot Street, Banyo, Brisbane</h2>
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<p>A pocket park and residents-only car access create a safer and quieter street. </p>
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<h2>Rat-running is a big problem</h2>
<p>Almost twice as many cars are on Australian roads <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/tourism-and-transport/motor-vehicle-census-australia/latest-release">today</a> as <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/ProductsbyReleaseDate/7ECFCD6DB8532A63CA256F4E007170B0?OpenDocument">20 years ago</a>. Coupled with the rise of satellite navigation technology, this has led to <a href="https://citymonitor.ai/community/neighbourhoods/google-maps-local-traffic">more drivers using residential streets</a> as rat runs to avoid congested main roads. </p>
<p>Decades of <a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-can-help-drive-australias-recovery-but-not-with-less-than-2-of-transport-budgets-142176">prioritising</a> cars in Australian communities have created a serious safety issue. Overall, serious road injuries are on the <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/road_trauma_2021.pdf">rise</a>. Despite small <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/road_trauma_2021.pdf">declines</a> in road deaths, deaths on <a href="https://www.bitre.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/road_trauma_2021.pdf">local streets</a> haven’t fallen. </p>
<p>People <a href="https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/car-insurance/articles/australian-roads-safer-or-more-dangerous-than-ever.html">feel less safe</a> on their local streets, but we know <a href="https://theconversation.com/despite-lockdowns-1-142-australians-including-66-kids-died-on-our-roads-in-the-past-year-heres-what-we-need-to-do-170021">what we can do</a> to improve safety. Preventing rat-running leads to cleaner air, less noise, safer streets and more walking, riding, wheelchairs and mobility scooters. These results all promote stronger communities.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/despite-lockdowns-1-142-australians-including-66-kids-died-on-our-roads-in-the-past-year-heres-what-we-need-to-do-170021">Despite lockdowns, 1,142 Australians, including 66 kids, died on our roads in the past year. Here's what we need to do</a>
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<h2>Everyone benefits from kid-friendly neighbourhoods</h2>
<p>A remarkable feature of building neighbourhoods for kids is how quickly residents reoccupy their streets. People emerge from their houses to talk, their voices no longer drowned by vehicle noise. Thoroughfares become communities. Children come out to play.</p>
<p>As physical activity researchers, we know that getting children to move more is an urgent issue. Australian kids score a <a href="https://www.activehealthykids.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Australia-report-card-long-form-2022.pdf">D- for overall physical activity levels</a> on international <a href="https://www.activehealthykids.org/">ratings</a>. Australian <a href="https://new.globalphysicalactivityobservatory.com/">adults</a> also have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30357-7">low levels of physical activity</a>. </p>
<p>Neighbourhoods for kids help everyone enjoy the benefits of becoming more active. For kids, the street can <a href="https://theconversation.com/being-in-nature-is-good-for-learning-heres-how-to-get-kids-off-screens-and-outside-104935">connect them to nature</a> and help them develop movement and independent travel <a href="https://theconversation.com/let-them-play-kids-need-freedom-from-play-restrictions-to-develop-117586">skills</a> for life. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/children-need-to-play-outdoors-but-were-not-letting-them-31295">Children need to play outdoors, but we're not letting them</a>
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<p>Increasing neighbourhood <a href="https://theconversation.com/city-by-city-analysis-shows-our-capitals-arent-liveable-for-many-residents-85676">liveability</a> also boosts house prices and reduces noise pollution.</p>
<h2>Leaving the car at home for short local trips</h2>
<p>Superblocks make it easier for families to choose the “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6ChTqII-Yk">right tool for the job</a>” for small local trips — <a href="https://theconversation.com/end-of-the-road-why-it-might-be-time-to-ditch-your-car-72097">a bicycle over a car</a>. This <a href="https://theconversation.com/designing-suburbs-to-cut-car-use-closes-gaps-in-health-and-wealth-83961">saves money</a> and improves health. </p>
<p>All these small trips add up. For example, <a href="https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/map/perth-active-transport-improvements">two-thirds</a> (2.8 million) of daily car trips in Perth are under 5km — a 20-minute bike ride or less. In Melbourne, <a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/vista/viz/VISTA-Trips-timeseriesAccess/Trips-methodoftravel">41% of trips are under 3km, but 58% of these are by car</a>. That’s 3.6 million car trips a day. </p>
<h2>Where should Australia start?</h2>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.telethonkids.org.au/projects/beaches/">research</a> highlights the need to listen to communities, and kids in particular, when designing neighbourhoods. </p>
<p>In the vast majority of cases, any initial opposition to creating kid-friendly neighbourhoods soon <a href="https://www.centreforlondon.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/CFL-StreetShift-LTNs-Final.pdf">dissipates</a>. Residents see the benefits of safer and more pleasant streets for themselves and their families. </p>
<p><a href="https://irp.cdn-website.com/541aa469/files/uploaded/What_Australia_Wants_Report_.pdf">Two-thirds</a> of Australians support improving their neighbourhood to help them be more active. We should start by creating neighbourhoods for the communities that need it most — those with the poorest access to green space and public transport, most through traffic and crashes, and highest levels of childhood obesity. </p>
<p>Get your community talking again! You can start by <a href="https://www.playaustralia.org.au/1000-play-streets">hosting a temporary play street</a>! Demonstrating its success will help when asking your council for permanent changes. </p>
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<p><em>The authors encourage the reuse of the re-imagined streets. They are freely available to <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1F6Sn0toaYmjJexaKcOqWpL4yGYk5rhzn?usp=sharing">download</a> in multiple open-access formats.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/187276/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matthew 'Tepi' Mclaughlin (preferred name: Tepi) is affiliated with the Telethon Kids Institute, the International Society for Physical Activity and Health and the Asia-Pacific Society for Physical Activity.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hayley Christian receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Research Council and Health Promotion Foundation of Western Australia (Healthway). Hayley Christian is supported by an Australian National Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship (102549).
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jasper Schipperijn previously received funding from the European Union, the Danish Cancer Society, KOMPAN, TrykFonden, and RealDania. Jasper Schipperijn is affiliated with the University of Southern Denmark and the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH)</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Trevor Shilton previously received funding from the ARC, the NHMRC and Healthway, he is currently a member of the Board for the Australasian Society for Physical Activity and a member of the Advocacy Committee for the World Heart Federation. </span></em></p>Residential ‘stroads’ – neighbourhood streets that have become rat runs for through traffic – can be turned back into safe, mixed-use streets that put residents’ and children’s needs first.Matthew Mclaughlin, Research Fellow, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western AustraliaHayley Christian, Associate Professor, School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western AustraliaJasper Schipperijn, Professor of Active Living Environment, University of Southern DenmarkTrevor Shilton, Adjunct Professor, School of Public Health, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.