Road safety

Parkes Shire Council plays an active role in promoting road safety in our community by developing, implementing and evaluating practical solutions to help reduce road incidents.

We implement a number of successful road safety education programs; support engineering road safety solutions; and work closely with stakeholders such as Transport for NSW and NSW Policy to improve safety and awareness on our roads.

Local Government Road Safety Program

A strong partnership has been formed with Forbes and Lachlan Shires, as well as Roads and Maritime Services, since the employment of our shared Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer (RSIPO) in 2002, under the Local Government Road Safety Program (LGRSP).

The LGRSP represents a collaborative approach for achieving road safety in NSW.  Initiated in 1992, the program aims to involve local government and local communities in road safety planning and activities to contribute to the statewide effort of reducing the incidence and severity of crashes.

The RSIPO's role is to develop and implement local community road safety activities, with particular focus on behaviour-change programs.  Over the past 15 years, it has become evident that RSIPO's have proved very successful in complementing local engineering solutions with the provision of local education and awareness campaigns. This ability to focus on local issues is the key to the success of the program.

Our current Road Safety Action Plan (2017 - 2020), was developed to address a variety of road safety issues arising from local crash data, Council priorities, NSW Police information, community feedback and the road safety priorities set out in the NSW Road Safety Strategy 2012 - 2021. These include:

  • Heavy Vehicle Safety
  • Child Restraints
  • Driver Fatigue
  • Young Driver Safety
  • Drink Driving
  • Safety around schools
  • Speeding
  • Fleet Safety

Council has adopted the 'Safe System' approach to improving road safety.  This involves a holistic view of the road transport system and the interactions among roads and roadsides, travel speeds, vehicles and road users.  It recognises that people will always make mistakes and may have road crashes—but the system should be forgiving and those crashes should not result in death or serious injury.

Council plays a key role in the 'Safe System'.  We provide local road infrastructure, support local enforcement activities and provide the community with road safety messages and information.  We deliver projects addressing local road safety issues to our community across the whole of the safe system; influencing safer people, roads, vehicles and speeds.

Free Cuppa for the Driver

Free Cuppa for the Driver is an incentive program to combat driver fatigue. Driver fatigue is one of the three big killers on NSW roads.

The Free Cuppa for the Driver program encourages drivers to stop and take a break at participating businesses within Western and South Western NSW, when they've travelled more than 100 kilometres from home.
 
In 2020, the Free Cuppa campaign celebrated its tenth year with 150 businesses across NSW giving away more than 23,000 free cuppas.
 
During this time, NSW has recorded a 19 per cent reduction in fatigue-related crashes.
 
The program is a partnership between 25 Local Government Areas including Parkes Shire Council, NSW Police, Transport for NSW.

Not a Statistic! Youth Driver Education Program

Since its inception in 2008, more than 4,500 Year 10 students from across the Parkes Shire, Forbes Shire and Lachlan Shire Council areas have participated in the NOT A STATISTIC! Youth Driver Education Program.

The program includes an introductory classroom lesson, followed by a 60-minute live mock car crash demonstration.

This program aims to improve the behaviour of young drivers and passengers by enhancing their values, attitudes and knowledge about driving and its responsibilities.

Since the program commenced, there has been a 27 per cent reduction in crashes locally involving a young drivers.