Road Safety Report February 2021
LANE FILTERINGJeff Thomas has covered this in his report, so I will simply add the piece that I sent to our affiliated clubs for the record.The President Jeff Thomas and Safety Officer Dave Wright from the Motorcycle Riders Association of WA held a productive meeting on Monday 8th February 2021 with the Road Safety Commissioner, Adrian Warner and Assistant Commissioner Paul Zanetti from the WA Police Force who has responsibility for the State Traffic Branch of Police, this followed a request for the meeting from the MRAWA and emails from many concerned motorcycle riders, regarding the proposed legislation changes to lane filtering in WA freeways.The Minister for Road Safety is sympathetic to the concerns we have raised on behalf of motorcycle riders regarding the restriction on lane filtering on freeways but given the upcoming general election, the Government is required to assume a ‘caretaker’ role, which limits the actions and decisions a government can take in this period. The Minister has asked the Road Safety Commission to prepare further options for consideration after the election result is clear and a new government has been formed.As a next step we are meeting with representatives from the Road Safety Commission and WA Police to discuss the new regulations in more detail, with a view to identifying the specific changes that we want presented to the Minister for Road Safety for consideration as soon as possible after the election.”MOTORCYCLE SAFETY WEEK 202111th April – LaunchYork Motorcycle FestivalBeyond Blue Charity ride from Centre Point Shopping Centre Midland to York.Coffee van on site at Midland.Donations towards Beyond Blue ($5.00 pp)Talk at Midland by representative from RSCSafety talk and promote MRAWA by ride leader. AT York –6 metre x 3 metre booth on site by organisers including power.Focus – Motocap, fatigue, hydration.Will need additional brochures, stickers banners produced and printed.Funded by RSC grant/partnership. Wednesday 14th AprilRide your motorbike to work day, or something similar? suggestions Saturday 17th AprilFree Ride Right CourseFunded by RSC grant/partnership. Sunday 18th AprilSafety motorbike ride (similar to last year’s ride to Serpentine Dam) with a sausage sizzle or similar.Funded by RSC grant/partnership. All weekVariable message board signs on freeways etc withy MC safety messages.Huge social media campaign safety campaign.Mainstream media announcements (TV, radio, newspapers)Funded by RSC grant/partnership. NEW DRUG DRIVING LEGISLATION.The Road Safety Commission/State Government 24 hour drug driving prohibition legislation change education campaign. Effective 26 February 2021, WA Police Force will issue drivers who test positive for certain prescribed illicit drugs or refuse a roadside drug test with a prohibition notice which bans them from driving for 24 hours. 15sec Television commercial 1: https://youtu.be/NhjI7In04pw15 sec Television commercial 2: https://youtu.be/vPcC9Z9yUQg15sec Television commercial 3: https://youtu.be/zxsN3p5Z2IM MOTORCYCLES USING BUS LANESI have now started going through some research that I have received that seem to contradict the Road Safety Commission’s (RSC) decision to not allow motorcycles to use priority bus lanes, based on safety concerns.This is despite the Public Transport Authority’s (PTA) report concluding that there appeared to be no safety concerns and recommended that the majority of priority bus lanes be open to motorcycle use.These finding were based on a 12 month trial that actually lasted for 3 years, and during that time there were no crashes or incidents that involved a motorcycle and the PTA actually increased the number of trial roads during that time from 2 roads to 4 roads.We will be contacting the RSC and the Minister for Road Safety to challenge their decision that we believe was based on out of date research.I will keep you all posted on our progress. MOTORCYCLE SAFETY ACTION PLAN 2021 Steve Fish and I have now gone through the results and comments from both the Motorcycle Safety Week Survey and Forum and have condensed and consolidated the ideas from those events into a Motorcycle Safety Action Plan 2021Since the meeting with the Road Safety Commission on 14th January and worked through the 14 actions that we allocated to them along with the actions by the WA Police and the MRAWA we now have a more details list with specific actions that will need to be taken to complete all tasks.We will now more onto the Main Road Department, the Department of transport and the WA Police to progress the actions that belong in their areas.These lists of actions are available on the MRAWA website.Steve Fish will take the lead on this Motorcycle Safety Action Plan and Steve will provide an update Dave WrightRoad Safety OfficerMRAWA