Published on 17 May 2022

Don't become a road trauma statistic

City of Onkaparinga Acting Mayor Simon McMahon is urging residents to travel safe so we can all live without injury and trauma.

“Every year approximately 1200 people are killed and another 44,000 are seriously injured on Australian roads,” Acting Mayor McMahon said, acknowledging the theme of day three of National Road Safety Week: "Road trauma - the true impact".

“Traffic injury is the biggest killer of Australian children under 15 and the second biggest killer of all Australians aged between 15 and 24.

“I urge all our residents to play their part by driving so others survive. You can do this by removing all distractions and never using your mobile phone while driving. Don’t put other people at risk by speeding, driving while tired or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Protect all vulnerable road users, especially those whose job places them in harm’s way, by slowing down and giving them the space they need to be safe”.

Acting Mayor McMahon says council is committed to improving safety for all users on its road network.

“Our recent focus has been safety around schools, rural road safety and local road traffic calming,” he said.

“We’ve installed wombat crossings at schools located at Aberfoyle Park and Flagstaff Hill, and upgraded two emu crossings to koala crossings at Seaford Rise Primary School. A traffic calming scheme along the Esplanade from Christies Beach to Port Noarlunga will be completed soon.

“Shoulder widening and the installation of a safety barrier on Cherry Gardens Road is also nearing completion, and planning has commenced for the installation of sealed shoulders and a safety barrier on Piggott Range Road, together with improved curve alignment and a dedicated right turn lane for vehicles turning into Easton Road.”

Other road safety measures council is looking at include:

• Installation of an innovative Rural Junction Warning Signage (RJAWS) treatment at the intersection of Chalk Hill Road, Olivers Road and Field Street at McLaren Vale
• A traffic calming scheme at The Lane, O’Halloran Hill
• Upgrading the pedestrian refuge to a koala crossing on Pimpala Road at Prescott College Southern
• Upgrading the emu crossing to a koala crossing on Galloway Road at Southern Montessori Education Centre
• Installation of a dedicated right turn lane at the intersection of Piggott Range Rd and Bains Rd at Onkaparinga Hills.

Council has also been actively advocating at state government level for rural road safety upgrades at up to 21 intersections identified as high risk in the McLaren Vale wine region.

This has led to a state Labor $4.2 million election commitment from the Member for Mawson, Leon Bignell. Further advice on how this program will be delivered is expected in the coming months.