Contents

• 22 projects approved in round 8
• Road safety issues for new arrivals
• Municipal road safety strategies
• Victorian Community Road Safety Partnership
• Next round  

Round 8 approved projects

Of 40 applications received in round 8, the TAC has approved 22 projects, totalling more than $380,000 in grants.  Local councils and Rotary groups were well represented in approved projects.

Local councils focused primarily on development of municipal road safety strategies.  Rotary groups tended to focus on supporting the installation of breath testing devices in licensed premises.

The assessment panel continues to emphasise the need for community groups to develop high quality applications by:

• Carefully reading the guidelines and completing the application form in full
• Ensuring they have obtained partners to the project
• Demonstrating the road safety issue through evidence and data by:
  • Identifying the road safety issue and target group
  • Including local crash data on the issue
  • Using research to support the effectiveness of the proposed road safety solution
• Setting realistic timelines to conduct the project
• Outlining a plan for sustainability
• Including how the impact of the project will be measured.

In 8 rounds of the grants program, the TAC has now:

• received 252 applications
• approved 167 projects
• committed funding totalling around $2.9 million

Successful applications in the latest round of funding are below.

Round 8: Approved projects

Community groups	Project focus and description	Grant
Alfred Nuttall Kindergarten	Pedestrian Safety in Separation Street - Pedestrian safety review/audit in Separation Street particularly for children and their families.	$8,000
Baw Baw Shire Council	Share with care - Improving Cyclist and Motorist Behaviour - A three stage project involving investigation into attitudes, development of a community education program and trial of a behaviour change program.	$20,000
Bike Safe	"Give cyclists more space" campaign - Media campaign with the targeted message of 'share the road', particularly when overtaking.	$22,000
Catholic Education Office Melbourne	Safe Routes to School Pilot Program - Study into the effectiveness of safe routes to school in nine schools across Melbourne and Geelong.	$20,000
Caulfield Community Health Service	Enhancement and dissemination of the Star Rating System for Pedestrian Walking Routes - Enhancement of the tool, trialling and dissemination through a public website.	$17,290
City of Greater Geelong	NightBus Community Awareness Program - Awareness program to increase patronage on the established NightBus service.	$20,000
City of Greater Geelong	'Not so Fast' Speed Limit Awareness Program - Purchase and deployment of mobile speed feedback trailers as part of a multi-faceted program to address speeding in the municipality.	$20,000
Colac Otway Shire	Speed Advisory Program - Deployment of speed advisory trailer on local roads to reduce speeding.	$16,000
Golden Plains Shire Council	Golden Plains Shire Bike & Road Safety Project - Supporting teachers in 11 schools to be Bike Ed trained to address cyclist safety in a rural community.	$7,260
Hobsons Bay City Council	Variable Message Display Boards - Upgrading controllers in five existing SAM devices to enable continuation of programs and initiatives to address speeding.	$7,500
Kidsafe Vic Inc	Attitudes and usage of child restraints since the new child restraint legislation - Phase two of research that will assist in understanding parents' knowledge and understanding of the child restraint rules 12 months after implementation. Results of the study will inform education programs.	$20,000
Maribyrnong City Council	New Road Safety Strategy - Development of new road safety strategy for the City of Maribyrnong.	$20,000
North Melbourne Football Club	Bike Safety for CALD Young People in Melbourne's Inner North - Cyclist safety program for CALD youth.	$20,000
RoadSafe Central Murray	Community Road Safety Strategy for Central Murray - Development of community road safety strategic plans for the Central Murray district for 2011-2014.	$20,000
RoadSafe Gippsland Community Road Safety Council	Safe Use of Motorised Mobility Devices - Education program on the safe use of Motorised Mobility Devices.	$7,000
Rotary Club of Essendon	Moonee Valley Responsible Drinking Initiative - Installation of four breathalysers in licensed premises in the municipality to address drink driving and assist education of patrons on BAC levels.	$19,800
Rotary Club of Portland Bay	Think>Drink>Check>Drive (or not) - Implement breathalyser program in the community.	$20,000
Rotary Club of Warracknabeal	Henty Highway Travellers Rest Stop - To provide a Rest Stop at the junction of two highways to address fatigue in the Wimmera region.	$20,000
Surf Coast Shire Council	Speed Limit Awareness Program - Anglesea - Purchase of a SAM trailer for deployment in local streets and to support an education program to reduce speeding.	$18,500
Vision Australia Limited	Blind and low vision pedestrian road safety research project - Study into road safety issues for blind and vision impaired pedestrians.	$20,000
Warrnambool City Council	Share the Road - Increase road safety awareness between cyclists and motorists to reduce cyclist injuries.	$19,500
Whittlesea Community Connections	Little BUGs - Cyclist safety program for young refugees travelling to school.	$19,701

Road safety issue for new arrivals

The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) have completed the research to better understand the road safety issues and experiences of new arrivals in the lead up to and following licensing as a Victorian driver, including participation in locally developed programs.

The study involved a literature review; consultation with key stakeholders in the fields of road safety, licensing and setllement; and a survey of approximately 550 new arrivals to Victoria on their driving experience prior to and since arriving in Victoria.

The study report confirmed the challenges faced by new arrivals:

• lack of experience in a motorised society
• not having held a license previously
• language barriers
• costs of driver licensing and driving lessons.

The literature review found:

• In UK and Swedish research the crash risk is hgher for new arrivals from non-motorised countries.
• Cultural values and traffic norms in county of origin influence safety in country of residence.
• In New South Wales there was less knowledge of child restraint safety for those from non-English speaking backgrounds.

The survey was conducted by AMES Community Guides, mostly in face-to-face situations and often in the respondant's own language.  It is important to note the limitations of this study in that it records self reported behaviour and is not representative of cultural groups across Victoria.

Of the 557 people interviewed:

• 92% resided in Melbourne
• 62% were male and 48% were female
• 68% held a learner permit, probationary or full licence
• 79% originated from Burma, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka, Sudan or Bhutan.

The key results showed that:

• 12% had a crash in Australia, highes among those from non-motorised societies
• 75% has recevied no traffic infringements
• 15% had received a speeding infringement
• 5% had driven while unlicensed
• 95% reported always using a restraint as a driver, with those who reported non-wearing coming from non-motorised countries
• 91% of these reported always using a child restraint.

These overall results are consistent with the self reported behaviours of the general Victorian population.

This study will inform broader policy relating to mobility, licensing, settlement and employment.  The TAC and RACV will continue to look into emerging issues for new arrivals, particularly those groups at most risk and will continue to promote existing resources to community groups supporting settlement.

Municipal road safety strategies - a review

In 8 rounds of the TAC Community Road Safety Grants program, 23 projects have been approved to develop municipal road safety strategies.

The TAC is interested to know the outcomes fo these strategies and is looking to conduct a review with Councils to determine:

• adoption of strategies
• implementation of actions
• review and evaluation.

The TAC will communicate directly with municipalities to discuss their involvement.

Victorian Community Road Safety Partnership Program

As of 1 July, VicRoads introduced a model for development and delivery of community road safety programs.  The Victorian Community Road Safety Partnership Program (VCRSPP) aims to increase the engagement and breadth of involvement of the Victorian community in effectively addressing local road safety issues.  The VCRSPP is a two tiered structure comprising the Victorian Community Road Safety Alliance and local and state-wide community road safety groups.

Through an expression of interest process in 2010, 48 community groups were registered as a local or state-wide community road safety group.  Following registration, groups were invited to apply for program funding to implement effective community road safety programs.  37 registered groups applied for program funding.

An extensive assessment of all program funding applications was undertaken by the Victorian Community Road Safety Alliance with recommendations made to VicRoads for funding approval.  VicRoads has reviewed the recommendations by the Alliance and has allocated funding for approved programs to the successful registered groups.  The implementation of programs will commence on 1 July 2011.

Opportunities for 2011/12

The closing dates are:

• Round 9 – Friday 12 August 2011
• Round 10 – Friday 17 February 2012

Applications must be received at the TAC no later than 4.00 pm on the closing date

By Post:
Community Road Safety Grants
Transport Accident Commission
PO Box 742
GEELONG VIC 3220

By Courier:
Transport Accident Commission Transport Accident Commission
Community Road Safety Grants
60 Brougham Street
GEELONG VIC 3220

To discuss your project idea, please contact the Road Safety Grants Officer on (03) 5225 7517.

Guidelines and application forms can be accessed at www.tacsafety.com.au/crsg.

The information in this update is also available online at www.tacsafety.com.au/crsg.