If your job was to reduce road deaths what would you do?

[Tony]

Imagine that the government was to reinstate the position of Minister of Transport Safety. Yes we used to have one.

And imagine that you were appointed the chief advisor for this minister and you were paid a $2000 bonus for every less motorcycle death per year per 10,000 riders.

The only stipulation you have is that you are not allowed to lower the general speed limits to something silly like 10km/h.

How would you go about it?

What rule changes would you recommend?
What education, training and advertising would you recommend?
What roading changes would you recommend?

[EJK]

Hmmm... I would retire.

[Katman]

I'd join KiwiBiker.

[Ixion]

Firstly, negotiate a (much) bigger bonus.

Put a $20000 tax levy on all car imports. And a 50% subsidy on motorcycles.

Raise the car learner licence age to 25. Bike licence age for a full to 21. Reduce the age for a bike learner licence to 14, but limited to 125cc.

Put the price of petrol up $1 per litre.

Sorted.

Oh, and reduce the money available for road maintenance by 80% for five years

Oh, and I want a quadruple bonus cos now I've also solved the congestion problem, and reduced national emissions, AND increased government revenue AND reduced expenses.

Shit, I'd be the best politician ever.

[babysteps]

Simple, ATGATT.

Oh, and make common sense a requirment of getting a license for both cars and bikes.

[mister.koz]

The problem is attitude and how do you correct that with laws? Its a tricky argument!!

I find the biggest threats on the road are ignorance, arrogance and the "i don't give a shit" attitude.

We tolerate much and so does the law, that tolerance makes people careless.

These ideas are impractical but might work in the right direction:

1: Require practical testing every couple of years including:

• Advanced driving
• Vision testing
• Defensive driving

2: Make people who are transferring international licences sit the full licence test.
3: Make the license process and tests more comprehensive (like aussie)
4: More traffic cameras in towns and harsher penalties for things like failing to stop at a stop sign, indicating incorrectly etc etc (funding the other ideas)
5: Increase the open road speed limit to 110 and take the 10km/h tolerance away completely (like aussie)
6: Zero limit for alcohol - Zero tollerance for mind altering drugs (including strong painkillers)
7: Add demerit points to speed camera fines (like UK)

Someone said in a thread like this one "give all motorcyclists a gun, that'll increase awareness" hehe cool thought... but the implementation?

(ps, i am not flawless and i do break the rules on occasion)

[vgcspares]

could put the cops on a profit share so they issue lots of speeding tickets - oh oh they've done that already haven't they ?

[steve_t]

Hmmm... I would retire.

LOL... golden handshakes! But what about all that free travel? And money to live in your own house?

To reduce road accidents, we need to:
*Raise the driving age from 15. Frontal lobe development isn't even close to complete.
*Crack down way harder on drunk drivers.
*Make driving tests more comprehensive and make them more regular for older drivers.
*Get rid of Cheesecutters!!!!!!
*Massive advertising campaigns teaching people how to indicate at roundabouts
*Massive advertising campaigns telling people to watch for bikes
*Phase in mandatory ABS and TC for new bikes from 2012
*Improve road surfaces everywhere
*Get in line with the rest of the world and change the giveway rule to the person turning left has the right of way over the person turning right.
*Make motorcycle lanes on the motorways
*Get rid of 70km/h limit for learner bikers
*Crack down harder on idiot drivers/riders racing in the streets
*Govt subsidies for race track use
*Ban gangs under 'conspiracy to commit crime' laws

Enough for ya? Man, I'd better get back to work!!

[hospitalfood]

i very nearly went off the road 2 weeks ago due to unmarked lose metal ( unswept roadworks ) then 2 corners later saw someone that had.

then about 20 corners later went straight off the road due to to much speed, it was the only option left that did not involve pain and a damaged bike.

but yeah, most open road crashes are due to rider error / speed but there are several that happen because of unmarked lose metal, oil on road, stock truck shit on road etc.

i would up the speed limit and live and let die

[Danae]

Include motorcycle awareness questions in the car licence tests
As a requirement for say, restricted licence, include another practical course (like BHS) but specialising in defensive riding
Increase learner limit on motorway to at least 80k (70k is just dangerous, but we can't ban learners completely from the open road)
I would like to add motorcycle lanes but that would be a bit tough
More advertising about motorcycle awareness (TV ads, billboards, stuff on the back of buses)

[Hiflyer]

the problem with ATGATT is that it wont protect you at speed, of course good equipment has impact and abrasion resistant stuff but anything above 50km/h or so and its bye bye birdy.

[spookytooth]

Make 100 hrs riding off road part of the licence requirements

[Danae]

*Phase in mandatory ABS and TC for new bikes from 2012

This I disagree with...you'll get learners who'll jump on a 250 with ABS and ride like an idiot. They'll probably have no idea when they lose traction etc. Then they move onto a bigger bike, could well have no ABS, and they're fucked cos they'll come into a corner in the wet or something and lose traction etc completely because they think the bike will save them. If ABS becomes compulsory, it should be for bikes above 250cc.

*Get in line with the rest of the world and change the giveway rule to the person turning left has the right of way over the person turning right.

This would fuck everyone up...no one in NZ would catch on quick enough and you'll have mass pileups everywhere. It's a bit late for that, and NZ is a bit slow.

Plus we drive on the left side of the road

Make 100 hrs riding off road part of the licence requirements

Dirtbiking should be a requirement! I've only ridden dirtbikes once but shit you learn heaps about traction and falling off.

[CookMySock]

What rule changes would you recommend?

Implement the LAMS system immediately and tighten or abolish the exemption scheme.

Triple or quadruple penalties for dangerous driving, and suspend licenses or confiscate bikes of those doing so without a full license.

Target hell out of groups racing on public roads, eg coro loopers.

What education, training and advertising would you recommend?

Compulsory motorcycle training, same as the French system.

Free track days for those so inclined, complete with advanced tuition from well-known racers. Provide opportunities for this to become "racing" of sorts.

What roading changes would you recommend?

Rider safety information system for the road. Something like a tag affixed to a roadside sign, but with motorcycle-specific meaning. Riders carry a sticker or somesuch thing on their person or bike, so that they may attach it to existing signage where appropriate. Ie, a biker might narrowly avoid a dangerous oil patch or an unsignposted patch of gravel - if they feel it warranted they then ride back up the road and attach a biker-specific warning to the existing signpost. The warning labels wouldn't need to be large.

Steve

[SMOKEU]

take the 10km/h tolerance away completely (like aussie)

How will that work? Speedos are not accurate, especially on bikes.