Speed Zoning for Medical Facilities
OPEN LETTER
FORWARDED TO: Australian Transport Safety Bureau | Mr Peter Foley, Gen. Manager ATSB | | Mr Rex Hoy, Safe Work Australia | Roads and Traffic Authority, Australia | Department of Infrastructure and Transport, Road Safety and Programs | The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport | The Hon. Nicola Roxon MP, Minister for Health and Ageing | Senator the Hon. Jan McLucas, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities & Carers | The Hon. Simon Crean MP, Minister for Regional Australia and Local Gov. | The Hon. Tony Windsor MP | The Hon. Richard Torbay MP | The Hon. Peter Draper MP | Various local and national Public Media Sources | NORTHERN DAILY LEADER
High-pedestrian areas need school zone approach
I AM writing with reference to the school speed zone initiative which ensures drivers must drive at a speed not greater than 40km per hour within these clearly marked zones.
There exists a dire need for this law to be extended to encompass high-pedestrian traffic areas where pedestrian mobility and speed is forcibly reduced due to age and/or medical and health conditions or restrictions. These areas are, namely; retirement villages, doctors’ surgeries, medical facilities, hospitals.
These areas are high-traffic, high-risk accident areas for pedestrians, particularly those pedestrians with limited mobility, and as such the health and safety of these pedestrians ought to be given priority in speed and traffic zoning laws.
Pedestrians, particularly those of limited or impaired mobility, often at times, per force, must move in these areas on a frequent basis and are often at the whims of public and/or no transport at all.
These members of public must take care to cross all roads upon their own initiative and at their own discretion. This risk ought to be deleted, or at least minimised, for the health and safety of all concerned.
These high-risk areas require, at a minimum, the mandatory placement of; 40km per hour speeds 24 hours a day and clearly marked pedestrian crossings.
For preference, and for the assistance of those who may be near-sighted, disabled or impaired in any way, there should also be mandatory placement of traffic lights in addition to pedestrian crossings in these areas.
Such measures are a necessary risk management operation in order to ensure the ongoing health and safety of pedestrians in high-risk, high-traffic areas and reduce any possible future incidences of government neglect in its duty of care to the public safety, be it the local, state or federal government’s responsibility.
(Name Withheld by Request)
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COPY, publish, OR FORWARD THIS LETTER or reference this link [ http://wp.me/pwLqT-gP ] IN SUPPORT OF YOUR OWN VIEWS in this matter TO ANY RELEVANT PARTY OR PERSON. Let us know if you’ve discussed this matter on your webpage so that we can add your link to this page.
TOPICAL LINKS: NORTHERN DAILY LEADER
