❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister regarding changes to bullbar guidelines, specifically the removal of allowances for rural vehicles needing greater animal strike protection and the balance between rural safety and pedestrian safety. The Minister redirects the question to the Minister for Transport.
AnsweredQoN 2052Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to updated guidelines for the manufacture and
installation of vehicle front protection systems (bullbars) in the State. These
updates were published in a circular to industry from the Department of
Transport in September 2017. This circular to industry claims to provide an
appropriate balance between the protection of vehicle occupants from animal
strike and the safety of pedestrians. However, specific reference to and consideration of
vehicles predominantly operated in rural and remote areas, where the chance of
large animal strikes is significant, appears to have been removed from the
latest iteration of industry guidelines. The previous circular to industry on
bullbar guidelines (May 2015), specifically referenced
‘country vehicles that travel extensively on country
roads may need a higher level of protection against a
collision with an animal such as a kangaroo or an emu.
In this case the more traditional bullbar design may
be desirable’, and so I ask
if the Minister will indicate: (a) if
allowances for vehicles predominantly operating in rural and remote areas
requiring a more traditional bullbar have been completely removed from the industry
guidelines released in September 2017; (b) if
the safety risks to country people being stranded, injured of killed as a
result of an animal strike has been considered equally to pedestrian safety in
metropolitan areas in the preparation of the new guidelines; (c) how
many defect notices have been issued on Western Australian registered vehicles
in the past three years as a result of the fitment of a more traditional
bullbar; and (d) the
technical criteria used by the department for deeming a bullbar to
be non-compliant and a full list of reasons for non-compliance listed in defect
notices in the past three years?
installation of vehicle front protection systems (bullbars) in the State. These
updates were published in a circular to industry from the Department of
Transport in September 2017. This circular to industry claims to provide an
appropriate balance between the protection of vehicle occupants from animal
strike and the safety of pedestrians. However, specific reference to and consideration of
vehicles predominantly operated in rural and remote areas, where the chance of
large animal strikes is significant, appears to have been removed from the
latest iteration of industry guidelines. The previous circular to industry on
bullbar guidelines (May 2015), specifically referenced
‘country vehicles that travel extensively on country
roads may need a higher level of protection against a
collision with an animal such as a kangaroo or an emu.
In this case the more traditional bullbar design may
be desirable’, and so I ask
if the Minister will indicate: (a) if
allowances for vehicles predominantly operating in rural and remote areas
requiring a more traditional bullbar have been completely removed from the industry
guidelines released in September 2017; (b) if
the safety risks to country people being stranded, injured of killed as a
result of an animal strike has been considered equally to pedestrian safety in
metropolitan areas in the preparation of the new guidelines; (c) how
many defect notices have been issued on Western Australian registered vehicles
in the past three years as a result of the fitment of a more traditional
bullbar; and (d) the
technical criteria used by the department for deeming a bullbar to
be non-compliant and a full list of reasons for non-compliance listed in defect
notices in the past three years?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
15 May 2019
Responded by
Minister for Environment representing the Minister for Road Safety
Response time
10 days
The Road Safety Commission advises that the Department of Transport administers and regulates the legislation around bullbars in Western Australia. The Honourable Member may wish to re-direct this Question on Notice to the Minister for the Environment representing the Minister for Transport.
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