Respect Between Road Users

Having read a recent article “Vicious Cycle” in the Geelong Advertiser on 29 November 2018, Tom Burgoyne of our Geelong office had cause to reflect on an article that appeared on 26 June 2013, “Motorbike Crash Crisis”.  These are Tom’s thoughts:

As noted in the “Vicious Cycle” article there were said to have been 84 motorcyclists hospitalised in the last year as a result of transport accidents on roads in our region.  There were said to be 4 fatal transport accidents which took the lives of motorcyclists.  Looking back at the article from 2013 it was noted by the CEO of the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) at that time that “The statistics show the number of people needing more than 14 days hospitalisation after a crash is down by 45 per cent…so we know some improvements are being made”.  So, what has happened?

In my experience these accidents arise from a myriad of causes.  Victoria Police have noted speed, most particularly along our coastal roads as a factor for motorcyclists.  However, there are many safety-conscious motorcyclists who have sustained injury due to the inattention of drivers of 4-wheeled vehicles.

Safety and not blame is at the core of the TAC’s latest campaign “Driver Think Rider/Rider Think Driver” and I applaud this.  It strikes at the heart of the issue:  reciprocity of respect among road users is key.

Research from the Monash University Accident Research Centre is cited as revealing “a third of all motorcycle injury crashes occur on regional roads” .  With the inevitable rush of the festive season upon us, it is indeed time for patience and respect for all road users.  No family should suffer empty seats at their table.