The Hodgman Liberal Government will support the development of an evidence-based road safety strategy aimed at international and interstate tourists to improve Tasmania’s reputation as a safer place to visit.

To be developed by the Road Safety Advisory Council, the strategy will be informed by its Investigation of Tourists as Drivers and Motorcycle Riders in Tasmania and Road Safety Interventions report.

The strategy is expected to be completed by the end of this year, and will involve awareness campaigns focusing on risk factors.

The council found that international and interstate tourists were involved in 131, or about 10 per cent, of the 1249 serious casualty crashes on Tasmanian roads between 2010 and 2014.

While the council does not classify this as a road safety problem, it rightly states that the safety of tourists is important if Tasmania is to be seen as a safe destination.

The report found that tourist crash statistics were different than those for local motorists, with only three per cent involving alcohol as a crash factor compared to 18 per cent of serious injury crashes involving all motorists.

For international tourists, inexperience, distraction and inattention were listed as crash factors, while for interstate tourists the common causes also included excessive speed for the conditions and animals on the road.

This is why we need to develop an evidence-based road safety strategy in consultation with stakeholders that is aimed at both international and interstate tourists and uses messages that are relevant to the analysis of key crash causes.

The strategy will build on existing campaigns, such as a prominent billboard recently secured at the gateway to the Launceston Airport that will be used to target tourists and promote safe driving in Tasmania.

The Department has also secured editorial space in a popular Chinese tourism magazine to promote safe driving in Tasmania, and expects to distribute 10,000 copies throughout the State in hotels, hospitality venues, airports and regional centres. Additional copies will also be provided to Chinese travel agents in Melbourne and Sydney and a digital version will also be available.

The Investigation of Tourists as Drivers and Motorcycle Riders in Tasmania and Road Safety Interventions report can be found at www.rsac.tas.gov.au/road-safety/tourists/
Rene Hidding, Minister for Infrastructure