MEMBER for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien is encouraging local residents to have their say on the behaviour of road users as part of a parliamentary inquiry.
Public submissions are now open for the Legislative Assembly Economy and Infrastructure Committee inquiry, which will investigate the impact of road safety behaviours on vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists.
The inquiry will look specifically at how road users’ behaviour changed during the COVID pandemic and how this affected the safety of people most at risk on roads.
“According to the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) 241 lives were lost on Victorian roads in 2022 – with regional roads accounting for more than two thirds of those,” Mr O’Brien said.
“We need to do better to protect road users, particularly pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycle riders who are less protected in the event of a road crash.”
So far in 2023, there has been 109 lives lost due to road trauma in Victoria, 64 of which were lost in regional Victoria.
Mr O’Brien – who is also Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety – said the inquiry will consider the impact of road users’ behaviour on these groups as well as on the safety of children, older people and people using mobility devices.
“I’m encouraging residents across Gippsland to share their observations about the behaviour of road users in the region, as well as their suggestions on what can be done to improve safety,” he concluded.
Submission are open until May 19, and will be followed by public hearings later this year.
A final report back to Parliament is expected in March 2024.
For more information about the inquiry, including how to make a submission, visit the official webpage: new.parliament.vic.gov.au/roadsafetybehaviours
