Nt Speed Limits 'should Be Scrapped'

[f-wolf]

28/12/07

The Northern Territory government is being called on to scrap open road speed limits it adopted at the start of this year.

The Northern Territory government is being called on to scrap open road speed limits it adopted at the start of this year, after recording the worst road toll in a decade.

Despite introducing a 130km/h limit for the region's four main highways - the Stuart, Arnhem, Barkly and Victoria - and establishing a demerit point system, road fatalities in 2007 have climbed to climbed to 57.

The toll is up from 44 in the same period last year and 35 in 2004.

A damning report released last year found NT roads had a death rate three times higher than the rest of Australia on a per capita basis, with one person dying and nine seriously injured every week.

The findings prompted the government to put an end to a tradition whereby NT drivers were among the few left in the world - and the only ones in Australia - who could freely decide their speed on the open roads.

But the opposition Country Liberal Party (CLP) said it was time for new NT Chief Minister Paul Henderson to reverse the controversial changes.

"Now the evidence is in," CLP transport spokeswoman Fay Miller said in a statement.

"(Mr) Henderson has the option of correcting a mistake of his predecessor and get rid of the open road speed limit."

Ms Miller said data suggested that drink drivers and people failing to wear seat belts were the main reason for road fatalities - and not speed.

"The opposition was highly sceptical that Territory Labor's attack on our way of life would have a positive impact on the road toll," she said.

"It is a great shame that one of the qualities that made the Territory unique has been sacrificed without an obvious benefit.

"Making such a far-reaching change to the character of the Territory on a hunch was reckless policy making."

Ms Miller said demerit points - introduced in most Australian states in 1969 - would also prove to be equally useless in curbing the road toll.

[mrdamo]

This is so True. Clare and her stupid ideas! Thank god she is out of the seat now and hopefully the Territory can go back to the way that is was. It used to be really good until she got into power. If the speed limits change it will give me a good excuse to drive home next christmas instead of flying. Have to wait and see I guess.

[seventytwo]

Ms Miller said data suggested that drink drivers and people failing to wear seat belts were the main reason for road fatalities - and not speed.

[Evil F6]

Not surprised, at what's happened. Look at pigtoria, the most heinous state in Australia to drive in, and yet since the introduction of speed cameras and draconian measures (fully supported by the police) the road stagnated and went up after 4 decades of overall major decline. Even now with the car fleet more modern, more hideen cameras more fines, more restrctions, the road toll is barely changing and victoria has the worst holiday road toll of all states.

As another example in Iceland which decided to take the pigtorian model and make it even more draconian and lower the speed limit to 80km/h, the road toll soared 50% as a result in 1 year.

[AceofSpades]

simple fact is if your watching the speedo your not watching the road..

[Dagabond]

How the friggen hell did they let it get through in the first place, pollies me to tears.

[TOM1111]

just shows that speed doesnt kill

ive travelled the roads up there and more then adequate for unlimited speed limits

[loopism]

You're absolutely right ... it's the sudden stop that does the damage.

[bcl]

130kph .... luxury! ... don't be surprised if the idiots reduce the limit further. They'll probably argue that there is less chance of being killed when not wearing seat belts if you are driving at an even slower speed.

The 110kph limit on the Hume hwy is plain stupid.

I drove down to Junee 2 days ago from Sydney. The speed limit was bad enough, as was double demerits, but my wife making me listen to a CD of someone narrating a book was a triple whammy.

Talk about fatigue inducing and dangerous.

I drove back some of the way via back country roads to relieve the boredom.

Brian

[Lord Cyric]

I hope they remove the speed limits before July... then I'll finally be able to "legally" see what my Black Beast is capable of!