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Abstract
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Speeding is a major contributor to deaths and serious injuries in Australia. To assist in speed countermeasure development, VicRoads commissioned an examination of speeding offenders' characteristics, re-offence and casualty crashes during and after periods of licence sanctions. These analyses aimed to determine the effects of the following sanctions: licence bans;
the increase in speeding ban periods and demerit points for higher level speeding offences; additional demerit point bans for high-range offenders in addition to a 12-month speeding ban; and the good behaviour bond available as an alternative to the licence ban after reaching the demerit point threshold. The study had several positive findings, for example licence bans from speeding offences reduced speeding re-offending and casualty crashes; and there were lower re-offence rates for those who elected to take the good behaviour bond when reaching the demerit point limit.
Key Findings
• Licence bans from speeding offences had a positive road safety effect both while drivers were banned from driving and once licensed after a ban.
• Increases to speeding ban periods for speeding offences introduced in 2002 were effective in reducing speeding offences and crashes.
• Increases in demerit points for speeding offences introduced in 2002 did not influence speeding offences but did reduce casualty crash rates.
• Offenders with a 12-month speeding ban and a subsequent demerit point ban had higher speeding offences and casualty crash rates than those who only received a 12-month speeding ban and no demerit point ban.
• Successfully completing a Good Behaviour Bond (Extended Demerit Point Period) after reaching the demerit point threshold for licence ban resulted in fewer speeding offences and casualty crashes compared with the period before the Good Behaviour Bond was served.
Keywords
Speed, sanctions, demerit points, good behaviour bond, licence ban, offence rates, crash rates
Language: en |