The Joint Select Committee on Road Safety will hold further public hearings for its Inquiry into Road Safety on 29 and 30 September 2021.
The hearing on 29 September 2021 will be an opportunity for the committee to hear from driver education programs, allied health professionals, academics and legal organisations about the ‘human’ factors which contribute to road trauma and measures that may be taken in this space to improve road safety outcomes.
Committee Chair, the Hon Darren Chester MP, said that ‘the majority of fatalities and serious injuries on our roads result from human error. Indeed, the “fatal five”—speeding, distraction, fatigue, drug and alcohol impairment, and failure to wear a seatbelt—are all consequences of actions taken by drivers. The committee strongly favours a holistic approach to road safety, including ongoing investment in better, safer roads, and considers human factors to be a critical component of the road safety environment. Accordingly, the hearing will be an opportunity for the committee to gather valuable evidence on how human error contributes to road trauma, and measures that can be taken to reduce error and enhance safety on Australian roads’.
The hearing on 30 September 2021 will be an opportunity for the committee to hear from peak bodies, research organisations and safety authorities about the measures which Australia can take to reduce road trauma via safer vehicles and improvements to the nation’s infrastructure.
Committee Chair, the Hon Darren Chester MP, said that ‘ensuring vehicles on Australian roads are as safe as possible—including by encouraging the uptake of proven safety technology—is crucial to addressing road trauma. Equally important is maintaining the quality and currency of road infrastructure and ensuring new and upgraded infrastructure fully considers the safety of road users. Accordingly, the hearing will be an opportunity for the committee to hear about measures to ensure the safety of vehicles on our roads, and the infrastructure that is needed to reduce road trauma and ensure Australia is prepared for future vehicle technologies’.
Public hearing details
Date: Wednesday, 29 September 2021
Time: 9.30am to 4.15pm
Witnesses: Occupational Therapy Australia
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
Road Safety Education Limited
BRAKE
National Road Safety Partnership Program
Road Safety Matters
Engineers Australia
Date: Thursday, 30 September 2021
Time: 9.30am to 5.00pm
Witnesses: Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia
Dr Richard Tooth
Roads Australia
Australian Automobile Association
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia
Australian Road Safety Foundation
3M
Electric Vehicle Council
Due to health and safety concerns relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, hearings will be held remotely via videoconference and will not be open for public attendance. However, interested members of the public will be able to view proceedings via the live webcast at aph.gov.au/live
Media inquiries
The Hon Darren Chester MP, Committee Chair
Electorate: (03) 5144 6744
Parliament: (02) 6277 4728
For background information
Committee Secretariat
Parliament: 02 6277 4707
Road.Safety.reps@aph.gov.au
For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right-hand corner of the page.
