ROAD SAFETY IN QUEENSLAND ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER REMOTE COMMUNITIES

Queensland Transport has initiated a range of actions to address the over-representation of indigenous people living in the remote areas of Queensland, involved in road crashes. Research indicates indigenous people throughout Australia are three times more likely to be involved in road trauma than non-indigenous persons. Through a community capacity building approach, many road safety activities were conducted in aboriginal communities. Community members, driven by an increased awareness of road safety, participated in a Queensland Transport facilitated working group, which developed a road safety action plan. It was identified that while actions can be taken in individual communities there were significant road safety issues common to most communities, including knowledge and access to obtain driver licences, safety standards of vehicles, infrastructure and public education. It was recognised that a co-ordinated approach was required to address these issues. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E206143.