❓ Hon Alan Cadby raises concerns about the effectiveness of orange warning lights on heavy haulage escort vehicles and suggests alternative colours. The Minister responds that research has been conducted and a policy exists to limit warning lamp colour combinations to avoid confusion.
AnsweredQoN 1211Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the current convention that heavy haulage escort pilot vehicles should use orange lights to indicate an over-length or over width vehicle is under escort. I have been informed by an escort pilot vehicle driver that other road users consistently ignore the warning lights of the escort vehicles, possibly because the colour orange is also used by a number of other bodies.
In the interest of road safety, can the Minister please advise -
(1) Has any research been done to evaluate -
(a) the community’s recognition of the orange warning lights, and driver response to that warning: and
(b) whether the orange warning lights are the most effective colour to be used to alert other road users to this traffic hazard?
(2) If not, will the Minister undertake to conduct this research as a matter of priority, and inform Parliament of the outcome of that research?
(3) Will the Minister consider the suggestion that the colours for these escort pilot vehicles be changed to magenta on the right, amber of the left to gain other road user’s attention and cooperation?
In the interest of road safety, can the Minister please advise -
(1) Has any research been done to evaluate -
(a) the community’s recognition of the orange warning lights, and driver response to that warning: and
(b) whether the orange warning lights are the most effective colour to be used to alert other road users to this traffic hazard?
(2) If not, will the Minister undertake to conduct this research as a matter of priority, and inform Parliament of the outcome of that research?
(3) Will the Minister consider the suggestion that the colours for these escort pilot vehicles be changed to magenta on the right, amber of the left to gain other road user’s attention and cooperation?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 October 2003
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Response time
36 days
(b) whether the orange warning lights are the most effective colour to be used to alert other road users to this traffic hazard?
In particular, an Australian trial and study was undertaken in 2000 by ARRB Transport Research for VicRoads to investigate and evaluate possible alternatives to flashing orange lights. As part of that study an assessment was made of various light combinations with the result that twin amber lights performed well when compared with other colour combinations trialled. 2) Not applicable. 3) The Department for Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) has recommended that this suggestion not be supported at this time. The Department has a policy to limit the number of warning lamp colour combinations, in order to minimise confusion and to improve public response to legitimate lamp users, including escort pilot vehicles. This policy has been developed by the “DPI Management of Warning Devices Advisory Committee” which comprise representatives from industry groups, Emergency Service providers, and engineers from the DPI Vehicle Safety Branch.
2) Not applicable. 3) The Department for Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) has recommended that this suggestion not be supported at this time. The Department has a policy to limit the number of warning lamp colour combinations, in order to minimise confusion and to improve public response to legitimate lamp users, including escort pilot vehicles. This policy has been developed by the “DPI Management of Warning Devices Advisory Committee” which comprise representatives from industry groups, Emergency Service providers, and engineers from the DPI Vehicle Safety Branch.
3) The Department for Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) has recommended that this suggestion not be supported at this time. The Department has a policy to limit the number of warning lamp colour combinations, in order to minimise confusion and to improve public response to legitimate lamp users, including escort pilot vehicles. This policy has been developed by the “DPI Management of Warning Devices Advisory Committee” which comprise representatives from industry groups, Emergency Service providers, and engineers from the DPI Vehicle Safety Branch.
In particular, an Australian trial and study was undertaken in 2000 by ARRB Transport Research for VicRoads to investigate and evaluate possible alternatives to flashing orange lights. As part of that study an assessment was made of various light combinations with the result that twin amber lights performed well when compared with other colour combinations trialled. 2) Not applicable. 3) The Department for Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) has recommended that this suggestion not be supported at this time. The Department has a policy to limit the number of warning lamp colour combinations, in order to minimise confusion and to improve public response to legitimate lamp users, including escort pilot vehicles. This policy has been developed by the “DPI Management of Warning Devices Advisory Committee” which comprise representatives from industry groups, Emergency Service providers, and engineers from the DPI Vehicle Safety Branch.
2) Not applicable. 3) The Department for Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) has recommended that this suggestion not be supported at this time. The Department has a policy to limit the number of warning lamp colour combinations, in order to minimise confusion and to improve public response to legitimate lamp users, including escort pilot vehicles. This policy has been developed by the “DPI Management of Warning Devices Advisory Committee” which comprise representatives from industry groups, Emergency Service providers, and engineers from the DPI Vehicle Safety Branch.
3) The Department for Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) has recommended that this suggestion not be supported at this time. The Department has a policy to limit the number of warning lamp colour combinations, in order to minimise confusion and to improve public response to legitimate lamp users, including escort pilot vehicles. This policy has been developed by the “DPI Management of Warning Devices Advisory Committee” which comprise representatives from industry groups, Emergency Service providers, and engineers from the DPI Vehicle Safety Branch.
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