A road safety strategy for Norfolk Island, an Australian external territory

Norfolk Island is an Australian external territory in Oceania. The significant road safety reforms in Australia from the 1970s onward bypassed the island, and most road safety ‘silver bullets’ adopted in other Australian jurisdictions were not introduced. While legislative amendments in 2010 introduced mandatory seat belt wearing for vehicle occupants on Norfolk Island, other critical issues face the community including drink driving by residents and visitors, occupant protection for vehicle passengers, and the provision of a more protective road environment. The release of the first Norfolk Island road safety strategy 2014-2016 proposed, inter alia: a lower BAC of 0.05 and the introduction of compulsory driver alcohol and drug testing by police; targeted enforcement of occupant protection for vehicle passengers, particularly for passengers riding on vehicle tray backs; education interventions to challenge values held by some members of the community that support unsafe road use; ensuring that driver information, training and testing is adequate for all drivers; identification and rectification of hazardous roadside infrastructure, particularly barrier protection at “high drop locations” within the road network; and developing a specification for vehicle standards for vehicles imported into Norfolk Island. Norfolk Island is engaging in a process of integration with the Australian community, and wider issues relating to funding and resources have impacted on the implementation of the road safety strategy. The response to the strategy will be discussed, particularly in terms of current attempts to address drink driving and the provision of a safer road environment.