Road Safety Report April 20
MOTORCYCLE SAFETY WEEK 202111th April – LaunchYork Motorcycle FestivalAs the Minister for police could not attend to officially open the 2021 Motorcycle Safety Week, I was asked by the York Motorcycle Festival to open the event and talk about rider safety on the Road Safety Commission stage.Numbers were down on previous years due to the weather, so I am not sure if anyone even heard me.Saturday 17th AprilFree Ride Right CourseFunded by RSC grant/partnership.This course was very quickly fully booked and went ahead without any problems, I received some good feedback with all participants sating they believed that the course had taught them skills that they need for safer riding.Future Meetings with Dave Wright Jeff Thomas and Chris Cobain in attendance.I have contacted the Road Safety Commission requesting a follow-up meeting to progress the proposed actions that where brought up at the 2020 Motorcycle Safety Forum.A similar request for a meeting has been sent to the WA Main Roads Department covering roads and roadside and a request to the Department of Transport to cover training and licencing.I have also requested a meeting with our new Minister for Police and Road Safety Hon. Paul Papalia MLA to discuss the future of motorcycle rider safety.I have also contacted Adrian Warner the WA Road Safety Commissioner requesting a meeting to discuss lane filtering and in particular our proposed changes to the legislation in regards to lane filtering between any vehicle over 22.5 tonnes and the use of sealed shoulder on country roads.I am waiting for a meeting to be scheduled with Senator Glen Sterle, he is a scooter rider and is chair of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee and (more importantly for present purposes) Deputy Chair of Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee. He could be a useful contact in relation to regional rider safety from a federal perspective.Road Safety CommissionThe RSC have a new feature called the Community Connect Road Safety on their website that will more easily enable road users to connect with and be informed of new developments in road safety. The main issues of the new initiative are consult, engage, involve and empower, I would encourage all riders to register for this, as it may give us more pawer to work with the Road safety Commission and through them the WA government. www.rsc.wa.gov.auNext Ride Right Course will be held on Sunday 30th May 2021 at Mirrabooka and will be ladies only day to support The International Ladies rider event. This will once again be a free course gratefully sponsored by the City of StirlingAustralian Motorcycle CouncilThe AMC is putting together a group of people in Queensland who are interested in motorcycle rider safety to encourage them to form a Queensland Motorcycle Council or similar group. There has been no organisation representing motorcycle riders in Queensland since the demise of the Motorcycle Riders association of Queensland.They have also made a submission in regards to the National Road Safety Strategy.They will be holding the AGM and Annual Conference at Sydney 14th – 15th August. MRA Attendance?Riding in Groups videoI have been given to ok from the Road Safety Commission for my grant application of $10,000 to produce a series of videos on the safety and aspects of riding in groups. These will be produced as a series of short messages that can be used and shared throughout motorcycle groups and through social media.I have had some initial talks with video producers on how to build my ideas into something that can be easily viewed and shared with the correct message.This grant has been awarded to the Ulysses Club Inc. however I will be looking for support for many clubs and individuals for support with vision of good and bad examples for group riding.Dave WrightRoad Safety Officer MRAWA