Just starting a new thread, nothing has happened yet.
Let's hope 2008 is much better than 2007, which was the worst year on NT roads this decade and was coincidentally the same year in which the NT government introduced a raft of new road rules to curb fatalities on NT roads.
Gidday gecks. There is no reason for the road toll to improve. It is possible that if the intervention keeps on track we MAY see some improvement. What needs to happen is for the Government to fund a Christmas type of blitz around remote communities all year round. To start that off they could sell off their useless pursuit cars and replace them with four wheel drive's, and keep a permenent presence around these communitie's.
Over the new years period two people that I work with had windows smashed in their cars. One while actualy driving it. Both called the police, but guess what??? Neither could get through, all they got was the SA police who could do nothing to help. Both ended up going to the police station in person to report the vandalism. But that is what we are getting used to down here in the Alice. Until we see a change of government nothing will improve.
Happy new year guys..... and a safe one as well.
Some interesting info here. Less people fined, ie less police patrols, but profit up!! And the road toll the worst in ten years.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/14/2137852.htm
The Territory Government received $1 million dollars more in speeding fines in 2007 than in 2006.
Figures from the Department of Justice show the Government got almost $3.4 million in fines, compared with $2.3 million the previous year.
This was despite there being 10,000 fewer fines issued in 2007.
The department says the increase is due to the doubling of fine amounts last year.
The Territory Opposition says a jump in speeding fine revenue is proof the Government's road laws package is more about making money than saving lives.
The CLP's transport spokeswoman Fay Miller says the figures suggest there are fewer resources going into policing Territory roads.
"(If) you're serious about making a difference to speeding on the highways you would have at least the same number of speed cameras out and police on the road. It's police on the road that's the deterrent."
The Transport Minister says the drop in the number of fines shows Territorians are getting the message about sticking to the limit.
Who believes that the money is all that is important ..... I know that I do.
What a fantastic start to the year, three weeks in and no deaths on NT roads. However, the NT govt should not even contemplate taking any credit if the road toll slumps this year.
The fact is, the NT road toll is highly elastic.
I hope it is a good year, but if it is it will be to good luck, not good management on the part of both the NT police and the governments ridiculous road policies.
The road toll has finally kicked off, and I must say it's a great start to the year for NT roads. A man was killed while jogging in Alice Springs, below is the link:
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2008/01/30/3220_ntnews.html
So, the toll is 1 compared to 4 last year, a 75% reduction!
A head on has led to the third death on NT roads this year. Apparently a young bloke was killed on Tuesday as the result of a single vehicle rollover. A link to the story appears below:
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2008/02/08/3298_ntnews.html
Anyway, the toll stands at 3 for the year, compared to 5 at the same time last year, an impressive 40% reduction.
According to the police website the road toll has increased yet again to 4, the link to the police website is provided:
http://www.nt.gov.au/pfes/PFES/index.cfm?fuseaction=page&p=148
I have not seen a story so not sure what happened.
So, the toll is 4 as compared to 6 at the same time last year, a 33% reduction.
The accident is here.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/09/2158502.htm
The Territory's road toll has jumped to four after a fatal car crash overnight.
Darwin Police say a 43-year-old man died after his car crashed into a concrete culvert off Channel Island Road at half past one the morning.
Police investigations are continuing.
I was hopefull that the toll might drop off this year. Even though the current NT government would slap themselves on the back for a job well done. But the reality is that these new laws are totally ineffective. We have an election this year. And when our road toll shows no improvement, this will be a powerfull campaign tool for the CLP. That is if they differentiate themselves from the current government.
Yes, here's a link to the same story in the NT News. A very bad week on NT roads, 3 deaths in one week!
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2008/02/10/3316_ntnews.html
Anyway, so 4 deaths as to 6 at the same time last year, a 33% reduction.