SA experts say speed plan needs more work

http://www.news.com.au/experts-say-speed-plan-needs-more-work/story-e6frea6u-1226161600616

More 50 km/h speed limit signs will only go part way to solving South Australia's road toll. Source: The Advertiser
REDUCING speed limits and overhauling speeding fines is only a partial solution to SA's road toll, road safety experts warn.
The RAA and the University of Adelaide's Centre for Automotive Safety Research yesterday welcomed the government's announcement of its road safety strategy for the next decade.
It plans to cut maximum speeds on rural roads from 110 km/h to 100km/h, while rolling out more 50km/h speed limits on suburban streets. The aim is to cut the road toll by at least 30 per cent by 2020.
But both groups say the government needs to focus on improving roads to curb road deaths in the long-term.
"Infrastructure takes a vast amount of time and money," CASR Director Professor Mary Lydon said.
"In the longer term, we want a system that protects people and that system will be heavily reliant on safer vehicles and safer roads."
RAA group managing director Ian Stone said they were disappointed the strategy's focus was on speed.
"Changing the speed limit without changing the environment is not the most effective way to reduce crashes," he said.
"Safer vehicles, safer drivers and safer speeds will only address 50 per cent of the problem."
Mr Kenyon said road maintenance and design would also be addressed over the next 10 years but driver behaviour was the focus as money was limited.
"People can make a difference to road safety in their driving," he said.
Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond said the government should be investing more in road maintenance.
SA