State Govt heads in the right direction for MoSlow laws: RACQ
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RACQ has welcomed the State Government’s plan to take the next step to improve the safety of roadside workers and motorists following its 2020 election promise.
The Palaszczuk Government announced it would begin industry consultation into much-needed road safety legislation which would require motorists to move over or slow down at crashes and roadside incidents in Queensland.
The Club’s Group Executive Assistance Glenn Toms said emergency responders, including RACQ Roadside Assistance workers, risked their lives every day to rescue stranded or injured motorists.
“This National Road Safety Week, after years of lobbying, we’re pleased the Palaszczuk Government’s taking the next step to deliver on its election promise to better protect those workers who protect us,” Mr Toms said.
“We hope this consultation will lead to the road rules being reformed so our staff can go to work knowing they are much safer and that drivers must move over into another lane if it’s safe to do so, or slow down, when passing a traffic incident or breakdown.”
Mr Toms said its on-road crews experience a near-miss anywhere from once a year, up to 10 or more times.
“We’re currently seeing drivers not slowing down, merging dangerously, not concentrating, and some cases they’ll actually collide with our RACQ vehicles while workers were standing moments earlier,” he said.
“Often these vehicles are passing at 80 to 110km/h, just centimetres away and being struck at that speed would almost certainly result in death or life-altering injury.
“More than 85 percent of Queensland drivers have told us they'd support a road rule requiring drivers to move over or slow down at a crash or roadside incident, so we look forward to working with the Government on these vital next steps in making this road safety law a reality.”
The Club’s Group Executive Assistance Glenn Toms said emergency responders, including RACQ Roadside Assistance workers, risked their lives every day to rescue stranded or injured motorists.
“This National Road Safety Week, after years of lobbying, we’re pleased the Palaszczuk Government’s taking the next step to deliver on its election promise to better protect those workers who protect us,” Mr Toms said.
“We hope this consultation will lead to the road rules being reformed so our staff can go to work knowing they are much safer and that drivers must move over into another lane if it’s safe to do so, or slow down, when passing a traffic incident or breakdown.”
Mr Toms said its on-road crews experience a near-miss anywhere from once a year, up to 10 or more times.
“We’re currently seeing drivers not slowing down, merging dangerously, not concentrating, and some cases they’ll actually collide with our RACQ vehicles while workers were standing moments earlier,” he said.
“Often these vehicles are passing at 80 to 110km/h, just centimetres away and being struck at that speed would almost certainly result in death or life-altering injury.
“More than 85 percent of Queensland drivers have told us they'd support a road rule requiring drivers to move over or slow down at a crash or roadside incident, so we look forward to working with the Government on these vital next steps in making this road safety law a reality.”
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