ROAD SAFETY AND ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY WORKING TOGETHER

In recent years, Queensland has made significant reductions in its road toll. These road safety successes can be attributed, in a major way, to Queensland's integrated approach to road safety management which recognises the different roles of government, industry, community groups and individuals. This approach is based on the development of cost effective, best practice programs together with regular monitoring and evaluation of effectiveness. There are major challenges in the transport portfolio from a health and environment perspective with motor vehicles contributing 70 percent of all air pollution in South East Queensland, including 18 percent of all fine particulates, the main component of air pollution contributing to health impacts and mortality. Current estimates place these health impacts from motor vehicles at a similar scale to the total road trauma impacts. This article discusses the major transport health and safety issues in Queensland and presents a framework to prioritise initiatives which can lead to improved outcomes in all areas. Queensland Transport's road safety and environmental initiatives, plans and performance indicators have been interrogated to identify those measures which could lead to mutually beneficial outcomes for health, safety and environmental objectives. It is proposed that by focusing more attention on the measures which improve safety, health and environmental outcomes, the increased synergy between initiatives will lead to overall greater improvements in road safety, health and transport environmental performance. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E205861.