XN000022-1984-04-24 — Page 8

TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1984

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SAFETY DRIVE AIMS AT PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS

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PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS SHOULD BE THE MAJOR TARGET GROUPS FOR THE ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN IN 1984-85, MEMBERS OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE SAID TODAY.

TAC MEMBERS AT THEIR MEETING TODAY FELT THAT THE TWO GROUPS ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, AND ENDORSED THE PROPOSALS SET OUT IN A PAPER OUTLINING THE STRATEGY OF THIS MAJOR GOVERNMENT PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN FOR THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.

ON THE BASIS OF RESEARCH AND ADVICE FROM THE ROAD SAFETY DIVISION, THE $600 000 CAMPAIGN WILL EMPHASISE THE CORRECT WAY TO USE THE ROADS.

MESSAGES WILL AIM AT PROMOTING THE ROAD CROSSING CODE, FEATURING THE POPULAR CAPTAIN SAFETY IN PUBLICITY DIRECTED AT YOUNG CHILDREN- ENCOURAGING PEDESTRIANS TO PAUSE BEFORE CROSSING THE ROAD- ENCOURAGING DEFENSIVE DRIVING TO AVOID ACCIDENTS, ESPECIALLY PEDESTRIAN-RELATED ACCIDENTS- AND ADVISING CYCLISTS TO OBEY TRAFFIC RULES.

THE TAC ALSO AGREED THAT, AS IN THE PAST, THE CAMPAIGN SHOULD PROCEED ON THREE MAIN FRONTS - MEDIA PUBLICITY, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND EDUCATION.

DISTRICT CAMPAIGNS INVOLVING THE DISTRICT BOARDS WILL BE ORGANISED, CULMINATING IN AN ANNUAL TERRITORY-WIDE EVENT,

THIS PROPOSED CAMPAIGN PROGRAMME HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE ROAD SAFETY COUNCIL, AND TAC MEMBERS TODAY ENDORSED THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET ALLOCATION.

MEMBERS ALSO REVIEWED THE 1983-84 ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGN AT TODAY'S MEETING AND NOTED THE CONTINUING DOWNWARD TREND IN ACCIDENTS AND CASUALTIES FROM THE SECOND HALF OF 1982.

WHILE THIS TREND, TOGETHER WITH THE SEAT-BELT WEARING LEGISLATION COMPLIANCE RATE OF OVER 95 PER CENT, IS ENCOURAGING, THE TAC CONSIDERED THE LEVEL OF ACCIDENTS AND CASUALTIES, AT

16 838 AND 22 000 IN 1983, WAS MUCH TOO HIGH.

THEY THEREFORE CONSIDERED IT ESSENTIAL THAT ROAD SAFETY

SHOULD BE FURTHER PROMOTED.

AT THE MEETING, MEMBERS ENDORSED THE PEDESTRIAN PROBLEM SPOTS REVIEW 1983 WHICH COVERED ALL LOCATIONS WITH SIX OR MORE PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS A YEAR.

COMPILED BY THE ROAD SAFETY DIVISION, THIS REVIEW HAS BEEN BROKEN DOWN BY DISTRICT AND DISTRIBUTED TO DISTRICT BOARDS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE TAC LAST YEAR.

/THE SCOPE