1. WA Police Service - Exmouth - "Wheel Road Awareness" - $1,200.00

BACKGROUND

Many towns in the North West of our state are very isolated, but none more so than the town of Exmouth. Situated at the top of the peninsula, Exmouth is at the end of the line. To drive to the next town requires a journey of around 200 kilometres on ‘average roads’ just to get to the main highway. This is before a long drive to the next town (north or south). Most local people will undergo a long road journey at least once a year and more realistically, 2 – 3 times per year. This is usually to Perth (12 hours+) or Karratha (6 hours +). As with most long journeys, fatigue and loss of concentration are elements often battled. Both are major factors in this environment as the long monotonous journey can become boring and, if complacent, can easily lead to disaster. Other road safety factors prevalent in this region are; alcohol, livestock, excessive heat, towed vehicles (holiday makers, often inexperienced at towing caravans / boats / trailers) and heavy haulage (road trains & oversize loads). These factors all need to be considered before undertaking a road journey in the region.

PROJECT

With these factors in mind, the project aims to educate and reinforce safe road user behaviour through the concept of a practical community exercise. (Similar exercises have run in past years with excellent results). It is intended to achieve this by conducting a vehicle convoy, leading motorists from Exmouth to Karijini National Park & return. The exercise encompasses education on road safety with a scenic drive and pleasant destination. It is open to all age groups and road users, including those using non four-wheel-drive vehicles. Young drivers in particular will be encouraged to participate. Police and other agencies will spearhead the convoy, with participants tagging along in their own vehicles. The group will camp each night along the way for the duration of the four-day exercise. Throughout the exercise the convoy will stop at pre-selected locations and participants will be offered advice involving the aforementioned factors.

This will be achieved by holding various practical sessions on topics such as:

1. Demonstrating pre-checks for roadworthiness;
2. Considerations when loading a vehicle’s interior, roof rack and towed vehicles, so as to improve safety and increase stability;
3. Skid control, on gravel and bitumen;
4. Controlling fatigue – warning signs and simple ways to help maintain concentration;  
5. Skills practice when reversing with attached vehicles;
6. Emergency first-aid;
7. Steering control by practising speed weaves (<60kph);
8. Considerations when effecting emergency roadside repairs; and
9. Correct headlight adjustment.

The convoy will transgress a variety of road surfaces including sealed and unsealed roads. It will involve a maximum of twelve private vehicles and three agency vehicles. The exercise is expected to run sometime in mid September 2004. To further Road Safety Education, informal sessions are also planned during the evenings with a fun quiz night on Road Rules and Drug / Alcohol issues. Prizes, donated by local businesses, will be given away to encourage participation. Also, to educate on the limits of blood alcohol content (BAC), participants will be welcome to bring alcohol, which may be consumed at the completion of the day’s activities. Police will carry a preliminary breath machine so participants are able to self-test and thereby observe the correlation between the strength and quantity of their drinks and their resulting BAC.

A small charge ($25) will be applied to participants with all money raised being used to fund other road safety initiatives in town. It is intended to use this money for prizes in a Bicycle Safety Competition involving all students at the Exmouth District High School. This will complement the Bike Safety program presently running. The competition will run throughout the final school term and encourages all students to ride safely, observing correct road rules. The money will go towards purchase of a new bike and accessories, which will be awarded to the winner.

Overall, the purpose of the exercise, ‘Wheel Road Awareness’, is expected to improve driver skills and reinforce safe road user behaviour. The Bike Safety Competition is a by-product of this but should also lead to improved road safety in children.

2. ARK RoadWise Community Committee - RBT Handouts - $2,800.00

Ark RoadWise committee members handout litterbags containing drink driving information during random breath tests. Once the driver has blown a 0.00 BAC, Committee members then give the driver the litterbag containing information pamphlets, standard drink cards, air fresheners and beer coasters. Also an entry form for prizes is put into the litterbag. Our evaluation of the project is based on the reply rate of the entries received. Following publication in the West Australian newspaper in May 2004 it was highlighted that Armadale residents were the highest number of drink drivers in the metropolitan area. Also the last three paragraphs relate to a RBT handout conducted by our committee on 8th April 2004. We intend to have a question put on the entry form and the answer will be found in the drink driving information provided to ensure that the material is being read.

3. Great Southern Road Safety Coordinating Committee - Great Southern 'Belt Up' Restraint Project - $4,050.00

This project is a multi-strategic project combining public education, promotion and police initiatives to address the issue of lack of restraint use by adults and children in the Great Southern Region. The project will be delivered in key regional communities through the local RoadWise committees, with planned and strategic support from the Great Southern District Police (Traffic Branch). The project will be implemented with six phases, from September to November 2004, with an evaluation completed by the end of November 2004.