Latest news with #RoadSafetyCouncil
West Australian
5 days ago
- Automotive
- West Australian
Concerns cops swooping on Safer Speeds trial road to catch ‘speeding' motorists unaware
South West motorists have taken to social media claiming police are taking advantage of newly changed speed zones to catch them unawares. Amid regular calls about 'revenue raising,' the outcry comes as speed limits across hundreds of local government roads are changing due to the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River's partnership with the RAC. The three-year Safer Speeds trial includes Main Roads WA changing speed signs on about 500 roads with new, lower limits which include hotly debated locations such as Redgate and Cowaramup Bay roads. Posters on social media during the past fortnight have alleged local police are embracing 'easy pickings' with enthusiasm. WA Police denied concerns about 'revenue raising'. 'All speed camera revenue goes to the Road Trauma Trust Account and is used on initiatives to reduce road trauma in WA as recommended by the Road Safety Council,' a spokesperson said. Police noted speed was one of the leading contributors to road crashes and officers had discretion when it came to infringements — including consideration of recent changes to speed limits. 'Local police and road policing command are continuing high visibility patrols as part of a targeted initiative to reduce road trauma and promote safer driving behaviour,' the spokesperson said. 'Police will be conducting patrols anywhere, anytime, with a strong focus on areas identified as high risk for speeding-related incidents.' Shire president Julia Jean-Rice acknowledged the speed changes could be frustrating with many residents were accustomed to driving at the previous speeds. The president noted consultation was undertaken before the trial and residents could still leave feedback for the first 12-month review. She directed drivers to . Shane Vowels said online the new rules were 'for safety' but questioned the timing of the enforcement. 'Just happens to coincide with it being the end of the month and having to make those quotas too.' Other residents said there were bigger road safety factors to consider in winter than speed. 'Road safety? And yet people are driving around hitting potholes and damaging vehicles,' Margaret River man Peter Simmonds said. 'There is a hell of a lot more to road safety than driving a few kays (sic) over some arbitrary speed limit.' Other commentators voiced dissatisfaction at the steady creep of more lowered speed limits in the region as part of the RAC trial. 'All the huge volume of traffic coming to the area over the coming decades is going to slow everything down naturally,' resident Andrew Home said.
The Star
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Road safety needs urgent reform to achieve zero fatalities, says Lam Thye
KUALA LUMPUR: A road safety culture should be cultivated with the aim of supporting "Vision Zero" - a commitment to achieving zero road fatalities, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye ( pic, below ). Lee, who is a Road Safety Council member, said between January and October last year, 532,125 road accidents were recorded, resulting in 5,364 fatalities. "It was an average of 14 deaths per day, or one fatal accident every two hours. Alarmingly, 68% of these fatalities involved motorcycle users," he said when contacted on Sunday (June 29). Motorcycle use on Malaysian roads is clearly high-risk, he added. 'Tragically, many young people are among the victims. Yet, many still believe accidents happen to others, not themselves," he said. Lee said the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) reported that 16% of motorcycle-related deaths involve teenagers, and 15% involve youths. "Stress, negligence and overconfidence are key contributors to these statistics, especially among younger riders who disregard road safety measures such as wearing helmets, performing regular maintenance, or adhering to speed limits. "Reckless behaviour like street racing and 'rempit' culture must be avoided, saying many only reflect on safety after a tragedy strikes," he added. The Malaysian Road Safety Plan 2022–2030 outlines the government's strategy to reduce road deaths by 50% by 2030, Lee said. "The plan includes measures such as responsible governance, improved vehicle design standards, safer infrastructure for high-risk areas, speed management, better post-crash response, and targeted education for road users — especially motorcyclists. "However, schools must also play their part in instilling safety practices among students, such as the correct way to cross the road, wearing helmets, and understanding legal responsibilities as riders," he said.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Tripura sees 13% decrease in road traffic accidents
The number of road traffic accidents in Tripura has decreased by over 13 per cent this year compared to the previous year, state transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury said. This announcement came after a Road Safety Council meeting on Tuesday. Chowdhury attributed this improvement to the efforts of enforcement agencies and the increased awareness among citizens about following traffic rules. Tripura Police's traffic unit has been effective in monitoring and reducing accident cases, which the minister noted has led to positive outcomes. He also mentioned that Tripura plans to implement a central scheme for cashless treatment of accident victims. This scheme will allow victims to receive up to Indian rupee 1.5 lakh in cashless treatment at designated hospitals. The scheme is designed to save lives by providing immediate medical support to road accident victims, ensuring they receive prompt treatment during the critical "golden hour" after an accident. The state transport department will oversee the implementation, covering emergency medical expenses and offering financial aid to accident victims. Agartala: The number of road traffic accidents in Tripura has decreased by over 13 per cent this year compared to the previous year, state transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury said. This announcement came after a Road Safety Council meeting on Tuesday. Chowdhury attributed this improvement to the efforts of enforcement agencies and the increased awareness among citizens about following traffic rules. Tripura Police's traffic unit has been effective in monitoring and reducing accident cases, which the minister noted has led to positive outcomes. He also mentioned that Tripura plans to implement a central scheme for cashless treatment of accident victims. This scheme will allow victims to receive up to Indian rupee 1.5 lakh in cashless treatment at designated hospitals. The scheme is designed to save lives by providing immediate medical support to road accident victims, ensuring they receive prompt treatment during the critical "golden hour" after an accident. The state transport department will oversee the implementation, covering emergency medical expenses and offering financial aid to accident victims.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Over 13% drop in Tripura road accidents: Minister
Agartala: The number of road traffic accidents in Tripura has decreased by over 13% this year compared to the previous year, state transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury said. This announcement came after a Road Safety Council meeting on Tuesday. Chowdhury attributed this improvement to the efforts of enforcement agencies and the increased awareness among citizens about following traffic rules. Tripura Police's traffic unit has been effective in monitoring and reducing accident cases, which the minister noted has led to positive outcomes. He also mentioned that Tripura plans to implement a central scheme for cashless treatment of accident victims. This scheme will allow victims to receive up to Rs 1.5 lakh in cashless treatment at designated hospitals. The scheme is designed to save lives by providing immediate medical support to road accident victims, ensuring they receive prompt treatment during the critical "golden hour" after an accident. The state transport department will oversee the implementation, covering emergency medical expenses and offering financial aid to accident victims. You Can Also Check: Guwahati AQI | Weather in Guwahati | Bank Holidays in Guwahati | Public Holidays in Guwahati Agartala: The number of road traffic accidents in Tripura has decreased by over 13% this year compared to the previous year, state transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury said. This announcement came after a Road Safety Council meeting on Tuesday. Chowdhury attributed this improvement to the efforts of enforcement agencies and the increased awareness among citizens about following traffic rules. Tripura Police's traffic unit has been effective in monitoring and reducing accident cases, which the minister noted has led to positive outcomes. He also mentioned that Tripura plans to implement a central scheme for cashless treatment of accident victims. This scheme will allow victims to receive up to Rs 1.5 lakh in cashless treatment at designated hospitals. The scheme is designed to save lives by providing immediate medical support to road accident victims, ensuring they receive prompt treatment during the critical "golden hour" after an accident. The state transport department will oversee the implementation, covering emergency medical expenses and offering financial aid to accident victims.
The Sun
12-06-2025
- The Sun
Strict action on errant heavy vehicle drivers must be fully enforced
KUALA LUMPUR: The Alliance for a Safe Community commended the government's decision to establish a comprehensive database of errant drivers, calling it a crucial step in ensuring those with a record of serious traffic offences are barred from driving public or heavy transport vehicles. Its chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, however, urged that the database be made operational without delay and that it include offences such as reckless driving, speeding, substance abuse, dangerous overtaking, or causing fatalities. 'Such a database should have been initiated earlier. Drivers with repeated or severe offences should be immediately disqualified from driving heavy vehicles. Safety must come before employment,' he said in a statement today. Lee also urged the government to conduct a thorough audit and screening of all current heavy vehicle drivers, including bus drivers, to ensure that no individual with a bad driving record is allowed to continue operating on the road. 'The safety of the public should never be compromised by leniency or bureaucratic delay,' he remarked. In addition to stricter enforcement on drivers, the alliance also called for transport companies to be held accountable under corporate liability provisions. Lee, who is also a member of the Road Safety Council, stated that employers who continue to engage known errant drivers must face severe penalties. 'There should be corporate liability provisions in place, so that transport operators are directly responsible for verifying the competence, training, and track record of their drivers. 'The recent Gerik bus crash tragedy would not have happened if the errant bus driver and the bus had been taken off the road through strong and uncompromising enforcement with integrity,' he said. Lee said that no matter how good the policies are, they will fail without consistent and effective enforcement, including random and routine spot checks, increased use of dashcams and telematics, black box systems and strict rest hour regulations. 'We can not afford to wait until the next horrific accident makes headlines. The time to act is now. 'We call on all stakeholders, including enforcement agencies, the Transport Ministry, commercial vehicle companies and drivers themselves, to work together to make our roads safer for everyone,' he added. In the recent tragedy on June 9, a chartered bus carrying 42 Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students from Jertih, Terengganu, to the university's campus in Tanjung Malim, Perak, crashed with a Perodua Alza and overturned, resulting in the deaths of 15 students.
