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CHAIRMAN'S PREFACE

With the tabling of this Report, the Road Safety Committee completes its first Inquiry since the Committee was established in November 1992.

The Inquiry into Motorcycle Safety in Victoria was commenced in 1990 by the previous Social Development Committee. In March 1992 the Social Development Committee

tabled its only report on this Inquiry which dealt with the issues of motorcycle visibility and conspicuity. The Inquiry then lapsed when the Parliament was dissolved in August 1992 prior to the State Election.

Following the Election the Road Safety Committee was established and the Committee saw as its first priority the need to complete the Inquiry into Motorcycle Safety.

The Committee is unequivocal in its belief that motorcycling is a legitimate form of transport and that it is incumbent upon Governm

ent and the community to make motorcycling as safe as possible. Costs of motorcycle accidents in human terms and in economic cost to the community are disproportionate to the number of motorcyclists on the road.

The Committee, in tabling this Report, makes a number of recommendations which it believes will assist the safety and amenity of motorcyclists in Victoria.

} Whilst not recommending that training of novice motorcyclists be made mandatory the Committee strongly endorses the concept of training and makes recommendations to assist the Government in encouraging training. The Committee also recommends that motorcycle safety campaigns should be targeted at male novice riders under 26 years of age. It is this group which has the unhappy distinction of appearing most often in road casualty statistics.

The Road Safety Committee also comments upon and makes recommendations about the inadequacies of the current VicRoads licence data base system. Because of the current system it is very difficult to examine travel exposure and risk to motorcyclists and to plan and evaluate road safety programs.

The Committee also makes recommendations regarding the riding and licensing of mopeds (light motorcycles) and the need to restrict access to certain types of motorbikes by novice riders.

Finally, the Committee believes there is a strong need for Government agencies and the motorcycling community to work together in a co-operative and dedicated manner to address the various road safety issues.

One of the key areas is to ensure better education of the car driving community as it is estimated that in more than 60% of motorcycle casualty accidents the fault lies with the other driver - not with the motorcycle rider.

I take this opportunity on behalf of the Road Safety Committee to congratulate the previous Social Development Committee for the numerous inquiries it conducted into road safety. In particular I would like to thank Mr Noel Maughan, MP, who chaired the Motorcycle Safety Inquiry Sub-committee of the previous Social Development Committee.

I would also like to thank all the Government and non-government agencies, motorcycle groups and individuals who happily co-operated with the Road Safety Committee in completing this Inquiry.

I also wish to thank the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Mr David Cunningham, MP, for his support and the members of the Committee for their work and dedication in completing this Inquiry.

No Parliamentary committee would be able to complete its tasks without the assistance of a dedicated and professional staff. On behalf of the Road Safety Committee, I express thanks to the Committee's Executive Officer, Mr Geoff Westcott, Senior Research Officer, Dr Jane Hendtlass, and Office Manager, Mrs Lois Grogan.

John I. Richardson, MP

Chairman