More than 270,000 pedestrians lose their lives on the world’s roads each year and millions are left with injuries or permanent disabilities.
Victoria Police will join with the TAC, VicRoads and the Department of Justice this week to raise awareness of pedestrian safety as part of the Second UN Global Road Safety Week.
Assistant Commissioner for Road Policing Robert Hill said responding to pedestrian safety was an important component of efforts to prevent road trauma.
“Thirty five pedestrians lost their lives on Victorian roads last year, accounting for 12.5 per cent of the total road toll,” AC Hill said.
“Last year, the Victorian Government asked the community for their ideas and opinions on what needs to happen to make our roads safer.
“Seventy seven per cent of people surveyed wanted increased policing of unsafe pedestrian road behaviour and 75 per cent wanted increased enforcement against unsafe driving behaviour around pedestrians.”
Police will run Operation Halo this week across the Melbourne, Yarra, Boroondara, Stonnington and Port Philip Police Service Areas.
Operation Halo targets the factors behind road trauma involving vulnerable road users including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
“When we ran Operation Halo in February this year, we detected 137 pedestrian offences for disobeying traffic lights, walking improperly on the road and crossing within 20 metres of pedestrian crossing,” AC Hill said.
“Common pedestrian distractions such as smart phones and listening to music with headphones in can have disastrous consequences.
“After we first ran Operation Halo in February 2012, we saw a 16 per cent reduction in road trauma compared to February 2011, in the five Police Service Areas involved.”
In an effort to reduce fatalities among vulnerable road users, the TAC will be rewarding pedestrians that are spotted doing the right thing and crossing the road with the green man in the Melbourne CBD.
TAC Senior Manager Road Safety Samantha Cockfield said the aim of the activity was to educate Victorian pedestrians about crossing the road safely.
“The TAC recommends that pedestrians use controlled crossings wherever possible, make eye contact with drivers and remain alert to all visual and auditory cues,” Ms Cockfield said.
“Items such as iPods and using mobile phones can block out important auditory cues of drivers and pedestrians and are not ideal when trying to negotiate a busy traffic system.
“Motorists also have a role to play, and are urged to slow down in densely built up and busy urban environments where pedestrians are most at risk.”
The Second UN Global Road Safety Week will run from 6 to 12 May 2013. For more information visit www.who.int/roadsafety/week/2013/en/index.html.
Victoria has a new 10-year Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan. For more information visit www.roadsafety.vic.gov.au.
The Second UN Global Road Safety Week will run from 6 to 12 May 2013 and is dedicated to pedestrian safety. Requested by the UN General Assembly, the week will draw attention to the urgent need to better protect pedestrians worldwide, generate action on the measures needed to do so, and contribute to achieving the goal of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 to save five million lives.
