A guide for practitioners to address the critical road safety challenges faced by local governments in rural Western Australia has been released by the Local Government Transport and Roads Research and Innovation Program (LG TRRIP).
LG TRRIP, an initiative for research to be targeted for the Local Government audience, is managed by WALGA and Main Roads Western Australia with technical and delivery assistance coming from NTRO.
The Rural Road Safety Crisis
Rural roads in Australia experience a disproportionate number of road fatalities and serious injuries, causing significant social and economic impact in rural and regional communities. In Western Australia, most road fatalities occur on regional roads, with the rate of road deaths on regional roads nearly seven times higher than on metropolitan roads (18.7 deaths / 100,000 population in regional/rural areas compared to 2.84 deaths / 100,000 population in the metropolitan). This costs the community an estimated $4.6 billion out of a total $7.1 billion for all road fatalities in the state between 2018 and 2022.
Local governments are responsible for maintaining vast networks of rural roads and often struggle with limited resources and expert knowledge to implement effective road safety measures. This challenge impedes progress towards road safety targets, highlighting the need for targeted support and practical and affordable solutions.
LG TRRIP’s Solution
Recognising this critical gap, LG TRRIP commissioned NTRO to develop a comprehensive practitioners guide for low-cost road safety improvements that can be applied on rural local government roads in WA. This practical resource provides local governments with:
- A matrix for selecting appropriate low-cost safety treatments in a variety of road environments.
- Detailed fact sheets on 16 different safety interventions.
- Real-world case studies demonstrating successful implementations.
- Guidance on treatment selection based on road characteristics and crash risks
Key Features of the Guide
Practical and Cost-Effective: The guide focuses on low-cost interventions that can be readily implemented by local governments with limited budgets.
Evidence-Based Approach: Treatments are backed by research and analysis of existing guidance documents as well as real world experiences, ensuring their effectiveness.
Customised for Rural Context: Specifically tailored to address the unique challenges of rural local roads.
Nationwide Applicability
While developed with WA council in front of mind, this resource offers valuable insights and strategies applicable to rural local governments across Australia. It serves as a model for addressing road safety challenges in similar contexts nationwide.
NTRO's Commitment to Rural Road Safety
Malcolm Mak, co-author and transport safety engineer at NTRO, emphasises, "This guide represents a significant step towards empowering local governments to take decisive action on road safety. By providing practical, cost-effective solutions, we are helping to bridge the gap between national safety targets and on-ground implementation in rural areas."
NTRO has presented this new resource at national conferences, including recently in Hobart at the 2024 Australasian Road Safety Conference, garnering significant interest from local government representatives and road safety experts alike.
How to get the guide
Regional and rural local governments across Australia are encouraged to utilise this valuable resource in their road safety planning and implementation efforts. By adopting these evidence-based, low-cost interventions, rural communities can make significant strides in reducing road fatalities and injuries.
This practitioner’s guide is available free of charge to download on the LG TRIPP website here, offering a crucial tool in the ongoing effort to improve road safety across rural Australia.
