Targeted road safety education is essential for visiting drivers and motorcyclists, and those who are new to Tasmania (seasonal workers, international students and new migrants). These groups tend to have a higher crash risk or low awareness of driving conditions and road rules.
Tasmania is a destination of choice for those who enjoy exploring at their own pace on self-drive holidays. A growing number of these visitors are from left-hand drive countries and are unfamiliar with our road rules and roads, particularly gravel and rural roads. In motorcycling circles, Tasmania is known for having some of the best touring roads in the world. Sadly, visiting motorcyclists represent nearly 50 per cent of non-Tasmanian serious causalities on our roads.
Tourist road safety signage will be installed across the road network. These strategically placed signs provide road users with important road safety information relevant to the area they are travelling in.
Messaging and placement of the signs will be determined in collaboration with stakeholders, local government, and State Roads.
Responsive electronic signage will be trialled at regional tourism gateways. This technology provides the opportunity to present a variety of real time road safety messages to travellers. It also allows them to alter their route due to weather conditions, fires or other situations if necessary.
Education materials using imagery, symbols, and multi-lingual material (written and audio translations) promote important road safety messages through targeted communication channels.
Education materials include hangers in rental vehicles, keep left stickers, road safety maps, posters, brochures, a webpage, film clips, roadside signs, editorial content, digital material, print and online advertising along with billboards and LED screens.
Organisations and groups such as the Tasmanian hire and drive industry, the Tasmanian Visitor Information Network, the Spirit of Tasmania and airports play a crucial role in effectively reaching visiting drivers and motorcyclists. These partnerships assist with the promotion of important road safety messages.
The benefit of being an island state is that visitors must enter through our airports and sea ports. This provides the perfect opportunity to reach them with important road safety messages on arrival to the state. Commercial distribution channels, hire and drive companies, the Spirit of Tasmania, visitor networks, airports and tourism operators are key to the successful distribution of materials and the promotion of important road safety messages to visitors.
Stakeholders are key to improving safety for visiting drivers. Collaboration with national and international road safety colleagues will continue, sharing insights and information while contributing to the development of effective strategies and tools to address road safety issues relating to visiting drivers and motorcyclists.