ARRB gives evidence to Federal Government road safety inquiry

ARRB road safety experts David McTiernan and Tia Gaffney have just given testimony to the Federal Government’s Joint Select Committee on Road Safety for 2021-22.

The key areas they spoke about were:

* Risk ratings for roads

* Lifting vehicle safety

* Workplace road safety and the gig economy

* Safety at roadworks

* Heavy vehicle rest areas and their safety

* Setting appropriate speed limits to meet the use and function of the road, and the infrastructure that is present

* High risk behaviour

* Blameless crash investigations and better investigation into near-miss road crashes to help prevent future fatalities

The committee is investigating and identifying opportunities to improve road safety programs and relevant policy in the health, education, industry, transport and other sectors; embed road trauma prevention across agencies; and reduce road trauma in the workplace.

This inquiry has a significant focus on heavy vehicles and the gig economy.

The Committee is due to present a final report on or before 1 July 2022.

ARRB has a history of providing expert technical support for the processes of government, and we were privileged to be asked to give evidence and to help shape a more effective road safety future for all Australians.

Mr McTiernan and Ms Gaffney gave evidence before Committee Chair Darren Chester MP, Deputy Chair Matt Thistlethewaite MP, and committee member Maria Vamvakinou MP.

Our testimony can be viewed here, commencing at 12:00pm and finishing just before 1:00pm.