Many grey nomads venture onto unsealed road all over Australia
The debate about what constitutes a safe speed to travel on unsealed roads is heating up as the Victorian Government prepares to trial a 70km/h limit on all of the state’s non-bitumen routes.
News of the trial comes soon after Police Assistant Commissioner Doug Fryer recommended a reduced limit as a way of cutting the country road toll.
Police Minister Lisa Neville says more details of the trial will be announced in the coming months.
“The Ministerial Council has backed up Doug’s view around looking at some of our unsealed country roads and we’ll be looking at doing a bit of trial around that to see whether it makes a difference,” she said. “This often elicits huge debate in our community but so did drink-driving rules, seatbelts and speed limits in the first place … we’ve got to continue to focus on saving lives.”
Statistics have shown that almost 60% of deaths on Victoria’s roads so far this year have been in country areas … but not everyone is convinced that excessive speed is the main problem.
The Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, said a funding shortage was the real issue.
“Crumbling roads is one of the biggest issues in western Victoria – roads across the Lowan electorate are riddled with potholes putting lives at risk and causing considerable damage to vehicles,” she said. “The solution is to provide adequate funding to maintain and upgrade our country roads and not the lazy response to reduce the speed limits to 70km/h on unsealed roads.”
While some drivers insist that it is important to have a certain speed to ‘cruise’ over the top of corrugations and enjoy a smooth journey, the Queensland Main Roads’ advice for unsealed road driving is uncompromising.
“Slow down” it says. “Dust may be disguising an oncoming vehicle, potholes, loose gravel and slippery mud patches.”
I have never been in favour of any speed limits , believing that if a person can Drive & I mean really drive, then they will drive to the conditions, but unfortunately over 80% of the population can only steer, & hence the need for speed limits, so in this case I think that it is a good idea.
I think you will probably find that more people are killed on poorly maintained secondary bitumen roads with pot holes and crumbling edges than are killed on dirt. Revenue raising again methinks!!
Why not just go back to the horse and cart and have someone walking in front waving a red flag. Why don’t these people listen to country residents and not to some twit in the capitol city with nothing better to do and does not travel regularly on country roads
Th Clowns that are from the City/Suburb need to start coming out to the country for a while we have to travel a great distance to even reach a made road just to go shopping, normal Nanny State proposal again. Grow up !!
I have done my share of dirt roads and driving to the conditions have had no problems. Some sections can be safe at up to 90ks, but there has been sections where only 20ks is safe. Use your common sense!
Amen, Hans!
Perhaps they should start at the beginning – with driver training. To get a licence are people given training to drive in all conditions? That is – city driving, country roads, dry and wet road conditions?
We paid for both our children to do a defensive driving course as soon as they got their licence.
I think it is about time these jerks with new ideas on revenue raising started to use modern technology. As Hans said above there are some gravel roads that can safely traversed at 20 others at 100. Point to point cameras fairly determine whether a vehicle has been speeding, these cameras are readily available and being used for heavy transport. Solar powered variable speed signs and cameras WILL catch the idiots – a much fairer methodology than some private company setting up in positions at bottom of hills or HWP hiding behind a bush. Actually that is a truer version of speeding, not a split second speedo creep going up and down hills.
Generally though I believe a point to point speed limit of 70 K on gravel roads would be very fair and promote safety.
Yep speed limits are a good idea to protect hose that have no Idea of what safe driving is. Victorian roads are amongst the worst that I have driven on in my travels around Australia. I used to think that we had fairly good roads but having experienced roads around our country I now realise that I was wrong.
This takes “Nanny State” to a new level – I know another solution , we should require a special licence as well for all city born &a living to be able to drive on gravel. – well, that will stop me from doing any tourist related activities in Victoria where I might have to do longish sections of gravel. That will hurt the remote area small towns if others feel the same way.
We find some of the bitumen roads in Victoria, need lower speed limits. One very bad road is the Great Ocean Road, pot holes, tracks in the road, crumbling verges, and when you are towing a van, not a very pleasant trip!
The first thing they need to do is have a look at WHO is dying on country roads and when. I believe that you will find most of those dying are from the city/large towns AND most are dying during holiday periods. This, i believe is due to these people not being used to driving long distances and driving on country roads. Fatigue IS the biggest killer on our roads it is NOT unsealed,pot-holed,narrow,poorly maintained roads but those from the cities drive all day every day on well maintained roads controled by lights,police and slow traffic. They only travel short distances at slow speed. They do not have cattle and all manner of wild life to watch out for. Sorry, but to travel 1000km to a holiday camp and 1000 km back in 3 days/ long weekend is dumb
Ken, I have been around Australia twice and travelled on many gravel roads. I always went at a speed that suited the condition of the road, Which varied a great deal. I think 80Kms is a better limit. It is a speed that most people can handle, Also we do not want to be YO! YO! ing up and down the speed ranges. The Police { The Government } will always go as low as they can get away with As this makes more revenue. The problem is, as well as worrying about pot holes, bad surfaces, serrations in road, bored kids, you have to keep looking at the speed or get booked. Happy Motoring !!