Indigenous Road Safety

Aboriginal people are over-represented in road trauma in Australia. In Western Australia, Aboriginal people make up 3% of the population, but 9% of those killed on the roads and 8% of those who are seriously injured. These vulnerable road users are around three times more likely to die in road crashes than non-Indigenous Western Australians.

Aboriginal people are disproportionately represented in statistics relating to drink driving, unlicensed driving, not wearing seat belts, pedestrian collisions and unsafe travel such as riding in the back of trucks and utilities.

Since 1971, the rates of road injury involving Aboriginal people have been increasing while the rates for non-Aboriginal people have been decreasing.

Statistics

The Department of Health provides information about the number of Aboriginal people admitted to hospital annually, by road user group.

This information is available in the Road Safety Council’s 2010 Reported Road Crashes in Western Australia (174 page PDF 1.2 MB)

Figure 1 - 2010 Hospital Inpatients by Indigenous Status by Road User Group
(Data: Department of Health)

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Figure 1 - Full version (JPG 82 kb)

Table 2 - 2010 Hospital Inpatients by Indigenous Status by Road User Group
(Data: Department of Health)

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Table 2 - Full version (JPG 141 kb)

The Towards Zero Road Safety Strategy

The Road Safety Council (RSC) is committed to improving road safety for Indigenous people through a safe system approach to road safety.

Towards Zero, the Western Australian road safety strategy for 2008 to 2020, aims to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on WA roads by building a safe system where vehicles, travel speeds and roads and roadsides provide greater forgiveness so that when a crash does occur it will not result in serious injury or death. This approach requires consideration of all parts of the system, including safe road use, safe vehicles, safe roads and roadsides and safe speeds.

Initiatives to improve the safety of Aboriginal people include drink driving and licensing resources and campaigns aimed specifically at Indigenous communities in regional and remote areas. The Department of Transport, as the responsible agency, also seeks to increase the level of Indigenous participation in the driver licensing system through the delivery of licensing services to remote communities.

Involving Aboriginal people and engaging with Indigenous community leaders is seen as the best way to raise awareness about road safety among Aboriginal people. Leadership and ownership by elders and community members drive the process and provide real and sustained improvements.

Indigenous Drink Driving and Licensing Kit

The Office of Road Safety, on behalf of the RSC, produced a resource kit for Aboriginal people in Western Australia called Your Licence is Your Life: Indigenous Drink Driving and Licensing Kit.

The kit includes:

A short DVD starring Mary G about how to deal with the process of getting your licence, drink driving and the practical driving assessment. These videos can be seen here.
An interactive CD based on the Learner’s Permit theory test. It contains an interactive Q&A to help people get ready to apply for the Permit, and provides information on where to go for further information on issues such as fines and payments. It also includes five practice quizzes, with the option to listen to an Indigenous voice-over rather than having to read the questions, to help people prepare for the interactive computer-based Learner’s Permit theory test. This resource is also available here.
Indigenous Road Safety media campaigns. These can be seen here.
Your Licence is Your Life - Discussion Cards (24 page PDF 4.1 MB)
Your Licence is Your Life - Roadmap (1 page PDF 7.3 MB)
Your Licence is Your Life - Poster (1 page PDF 17.3 MB)
Educational booklet for facilitators - Your Licence is Your Life - Educational Booklet (11 page PDF 1.6 MB)
A fun and educational board game dealing with road rules and safety, licensing and the consequences of drink driving - Your Licence is Your Life - Game Board (JPG 3.2 MB)
Strong Spirit Strong Mind booklet. This resource is also available here.
Drive Safe handbook and Quizzes. These resources are also available here.

The resource kit was launched in 2011. Be sure to check with the appropriate authorities that you have the most current forms and information.

Campaigns

Since 2006 the Office of Road Safety and Goolarri media have forged a strong working partnership to deliver Indigenous specific road safety messages to the people of the Kimberley. Goolarri Media was recognised in 2006 and 2007 by winning AVPA (Australian Video Producers Awards) for their drink driving television commercials.

Advertising is written and produced by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people.

Goolarri Media is a not-for-profit media and events organisation based in Broome, Western Australia. This nationally recognised organisation produces and delivers television and radio services to the Kimberley region of Western Australia as outlined by the following map.

View the campaign material here.

Other Resources

Department of Transport

Further information about licensing can be obtained from the Department of Transport:

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet is committed to working to close the gap in Indigenous health. Their comprehensive online resource has a specific section dedicated to Indigenous Road Safety, which offers high quality research into this important area. Key sections include resources, policies, programs, publications, strategies, reports, news and events. You can join the free online yarning place for Road Safety which supports the sharing of knowledge and experiences amongst people working in that area.

Current Campaign - Drink Driving
Drink driving contributed to over 20% of fatal road crashes in 2011. This campaign supports the community’s attitudes around the social unacceptability of drink driving. Find out more here.

WA Road Deaths
82 deaths as at 17 June 2013. Same time last year: 81 deaths Click here for more statistics.

Current Campaign - Seat Belts
Our seat belts campaign reminds you to belt up to protect yourself, because you are important to a lot of people. Find out more here.

Join us online!
Show your support, join our conversations and keep in touch with our speed and seat belt campaigns on Facebook. 'Like' us at Enjoy the Ride and Belt up .

Fatigue risks for young drivers
The Road Safety Council is reminding WA young road users that they are more at risk of a fatigue related road crash than they may realise. Read the full release here.