Council on a mission to stop road accident heartache

About 5500 crashes in death or serious injury across Queensland, 98 people killed and almost 5000 people injured on Sunshine Coast roads, a $1.4 billion cost to the community – and thousands of people affected forever by the loss and injury of their loved ones.

That’s a heartbreaking snapshot of the carnage on Sunshine Coast roads in a five year period*– and Council has had enough.

Mayor Mark Jamieson said Council was working towards a reduction of fatalities, serious crashes and injuries on Sunshine Coast roads through its Draft Sunshine Coast Road Safety Plan 2015-2019.

“Road safety is not just about statistics – it’s about the people who lose their loved ones and have to deal with that loss and its effects for the rest of their lives,” Mayor Jamieson said.

“Council’s Draft Sunshine Coast Road Safety Plan 2015-2019, which is based on national and international safety concepts, provides the framework for improving road safety across the Sunshine Coast local government area.

“Our vision for road safety is for the Sunshine Coast to be recognised as a place which provides a safe travel environment for all road users – and we’re inviting the community to have their say on this draft plan.

“While we may not be able to prevent all road crashes, we can reduce the incidence of death, serious injury and the cost of road trauma to the community through education, crash investigation, appropriate pedestrian and cycling facilities, and speed management measures.”

Council has identified three targets to evaluate progress towards its vision for road safety:

fewer fatalities in the Sunshine Coast area per capita, than the Queensland average
fewer hospitalisations in the Sunshine Coast area per 100,000 population, than the Queensland average
fewer crashes each year than the previous five year average.

Mayor Jamieson said road crashes also impacted the region financially.

“In addition to the burden of personal suffering, the financial cost of road trauma to the Sunshine Coast community for the period from 2007-2011 was more than one billion dollars in lost productivity, property damage, health care, emergency services, and insurance costs,” he said.

“This plan requires commitment from more than just Council – it is a partnership with the Department of Transport and Main Roads, the Queensland Police Service, the Local Government Association of Queensland, The Roads Alliance and The Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia Queensland.”

The Draft Sunshine Coast Road Safety Plan 2015-2019 will be available for public comment in the coming months. All feedback will be considered by Council before the final plan is adopted.

FAST FACTS

Proposed funding for this plan includes:
the current Council budget
future capital works budget (future projects to be ranked and scored for consideration)
State government grants or the federal government blackspot funding program (Council to identify eligible areas and projects).
The United Nations General Assembly’s Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011–2020 plan recognises the importance of road safety management at a local level.
The Sunshine Coast Road Safety Plan 2015-2019 uses the principles of the Safe System Framework, which guides road safety policy in Australia and addresses the goals of safer roads and roadsides, safer speeds, safer vehicles and safer people.