Nikita Ganatra
37 Banksia Road
Engadine NSW 2233
9548 1915
October 12th 2010
Roads and Traffic Authority
260 Elizabeth Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Improving Australian Roads
To whom this may concern,
I am writing to lodge a complaint about Australian roads. I strongly believe that the safety of
all Australians is put at risk due to the various hazards on our roads. In 2007 almost 1,611
people died on Australian roads and 22,000 people were injured.
Roadside hazards
accounted for 40% of these deaths and injuries, which is very sad as this could have easily
been stopped through health promoting actions beforehand.
Australian roads have many roadside hazards such as poles and trees, which cause many
head-on and run off crashes. These hazards are often hard to see, particularly in the night time
therefore this causes various accidents to occur. Accidents caused by roadside hazards can be
stopped through actions such as installing more wire rope barriers throughout the main roads
of Australia. These barriers will not only develop the safety of Australian roads but it will
also reduce the severity of off-path collisions. Evidence shows that wired barriers can
decrease run-off and head-on crashes by 60%.
In addition Australia has many undivided roads and this is another dangerous hazard.
Undivided roads are responsible for many fatalities and injuries, as they cause head-on
collisions. I believe that this problem can be easily solved, by dividing all major roads and
highways of Australia with safety barriers such as Jersey Barriers. Jersey Barriers should be
implemented to all Australian highways to separate opposing lanes of traffic. This would
most definitely decrease the number of head-on crashes; therefore reduces the number of
deaths and injuries. Small streets should also start to be divided, with double lines, as this
would also decrease head on crashes in an affordable way.
Broken or narrow edges of roads and shoulders can be seen as another risk to Australian
roads. This hazard can not only cause a loss of direction but it can also cause vehicle roll-over
and severe crashes. Health promoting actions such as resurfacing roads and sealing road
shoulders should be encountered. These actions will cause drivers to have more capability to
control their vehicles as they can see clearly what direction the road is going.
Furthermore, I believe that Australian roads are too narrow, and this is another hazard to the
safety of our roads. The threat of being involved in a crash on a narrow lane road is 50%
higher than on a road with wide lanes. Since this is such a high risk, why not make Australian
roads wider? This will certainly reduce road deaths and fatalities.
Another factor that increases the risk of accidents on Australian roads is driver fatigue.
Fatigue occurs either when the driver falls asleep on the wheel or when the driver is so
exhausted that they can easily make driving errors. This problem can be fixed through health
promoting actions such as building more resting stops that have toilets, drinking facilities and
food services, on highways. More resting stops on Australian highways will ensure drivers,
who feel tired and exhausted to stop in a safe place and allow them to revive themselves.
In 2002, around 31% of drivers or riders killed in motor vehicle accidents had a blood alcohol
concentration of 0.05 or more. This makes it evident that drivers who drink and drive are
hazards that increase the risk of accidents on Australian roads. This is the case because
alcohol reduces coordination, judgement and reaction time therefore this makes it harder for
drivers to drive in a safe way. This problem of drink driving can be reduced by more breath
testing patrols on Australian roads particularly at night time. More breath testing patrols will
allow people who drink and drive with a blood alcohol concentration of more than five to be
caught, consequently this reduces the number of people who drink and drive. Also having
more breath testing patrols will ensure Australian drivers to be more aware that their blood
alcohol concentration should always be below 0.05. Drivers should also be made more aware
about drink driving through media and advertising.
Overall, there are many dangerous hazards that are causing a numerous amounts of fatalities
and deaths on Australian roads. I believe that all these problems can be easily solved through
health promoting actions such as installing wired rope barriers, dividing roads, resurfacing
roads, sealing road shoulders, widening roads, installing more resting stops and more breath
testing patrols. These hazards can also be addressed by raising awareness through media and
advertising. If all these strategies are implemented this will most definitely save the
Australian economy $17 billion per year, as less road accidents, deaths and fatalities will
occur.
Yours sincerely,
Miss. Nikita Ganatra.
Bibliography
“Road deaths up in 2007- Time for Action.” Australian Automobile Association. 8.8.10
http://www.aaa.asn.au/publications/media_releases.php?action=view&media_releaseId=315
“Drink Driving.” Better Health Channel. 9.8.10
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Drink_driving
“How safe are our roads?” AusRAP. 9.8.10
www.ausrap.org