Roads and Road Safety

Road Safety

The Warrnambool City Council is committed to improving road safety outcomes for all road users by focusing on: 

Education: targeting specific road users to remind and inform them of the road rules, basic road safety issues and good driving, riding, cycling and pedestrian behaviour.

Engineering: State Government funding is sought for Black Spot sites and to apply best practice engineering treatments to all new and existing roadnetworks.

Enforcement: working with the Victorian Police and the community in targeting high risk areas and behaviour within Warrnambool.

Road Users Plan

Download the road users plan here

Council recognises that road trauma exists and local government plays a role in improving the safety of our road systems. Warrnambool is a growing community which impacts on road safety and creates the need for changes to road infrastructure. It is important that current responses to road safety issues and future planning for road users is guided by best practice road safety principles.

The Warrnambool Road Users Plan provides a summary of the current crash data, road safety issues, a ‘safe systems’ framework to guide and assess the delivery of road safety initiatives in Warrnambool. It also provides a review of current and planned approaches to road safety in Warrnambool in the context of this framework.

People and vehicle movement in Warrnambool's city centre.

In 2017 and 2018 Warrnambool City Council completed a City Centre Renewal project to reinvigorate the CBD.

The $18 million project included major infrastructure upgrades and the introduction of pedestrian priority crossings at several key intersections.

Council committed to reviewing the performance of the roundabouts and their impact on the movement of pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

The findings of the review are summarised in the report, People and vehicle movement in Warrnambool’s city centre.

Register of Public Roads

The register of public roads categorises all roads within Warrnambool that the Warrnambool City Council is responsible for. Roads maintained by VicRoads, boundary roads maintained by Moyne Shire and unnamed roads are found on a separate list. Roads are classified according to their usage.

Hard copies of this register are also available from the Warrnambool Civic Centre, 25 Liebig Street Warrnambool.

Street and Place Names

From Abbey Lane to Ziegler Parade, find out the fascinating stories behind Warrnambool's street and place names.

Heavy Vehicles

All Transport companies applying for Heavy Vehicle - Higher Mass Limits, General Mass Limits, Over Dimensional and Crane permits must apply to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).

No Distraction 3280

Keeping your eyes on the road is essential for safe driving. But when you look at your phone, you’re oblivious to what’s around you. In fact at 50km per hour, even a 4 second glance at your phone means you travel almost 50 metres blind. What will you miss?

What you can do to avoid distracted driving?

• Install the “do not disturb function on your phone”
• Put your phone out of reach
• Turn your phone on silent or off completely
• As a passenger, speak up and encourage others to be safe
• Purchase a blue-tooth

3 Simple Steps to plan not to use your phone.

• Phone connected to Blue Tooth
• Do Not Disturb switched on
• Play-list, Podcast, Maps ect organised before you start the car.

How mobile Phones Distract

• Physical distraction caused by handling your phone
• Visual distraction caused by the amount of time you have your eyes off the road
• Cognitive distraction- it takes your brain time to readjust focus back onto the road. You have been doing 2 mental tasks. This is different than taking a drink of water or changing the radio station.

To take part in a short survey about how you use your mobile phone please click here

The table below shows how far you travel at different speeds when you take your eyes off the road for just two seconds.

The video below show syou how to turn on the "Do not Disturb" function on your phone

Young Children & Road Safety

Choose safe places to cross

• Clear view of traffic both ways.
• Enough gaps in the traffic.
• Choose the shortest path across the road.
• Don’t walk out from between cars.
• Use pedestrian refuges (teach the children which way to look for traffic).
• Use school/pedestrian crossings/ traffic lights where possible.

Stop, Look, Listen, Think

• STOP one step back from the kerb or shoulder of the road if there is no footpath.
• LOOK in all directions for approaching traffic.
• LISTEN in all directions for approaching traffic.
• THINK about whether it is safe to cross the road – when the road is clear or all traffic has stopped.
• When crossing, walk straight across the road.
• Keep LOOKING and LISTENING for traffic while crossing.

Community programs

• Starting Out Safely: Thingle Toodle in Kindergartens.
• Road Safe Today and Everyday- Primary Schools Event.

People who ride bikes with children

Children need to develop skills to become independent road users. Children under 9 years cannot concentrate, see as far and judge distances as well as older children so road safety needs to taught and practiced with an adult. Bike Ed is a great way for the students to learn how to be safer cyclists

• Stop on the footpath
• Look both ways, into the distance for cars
• Listen for cars, trucks, bikes
• Think can I make it safely across?

Children aged 12 and under

Children aged 12 and under are permitted to cycle on the footpath, any adult accompanying them is also permitted to cycle on the footpath. Before going on a ride ensure that your child can:

• Steer the bike.
• Use the brakes.
• Understand simple instructions like “STOP".
• Understand that they must obey your instructions at all times.

Remember

• Cycle behind your children- don’t be afraid to use your voice.
• Before cycling instruct the children to stop on the path before any intersection.
• Instruct the children not to approach an intersection without an adult.
• Show them how to use the STOP, LOOK, LISTEN, THINK technique before crossing the road.
• Instruct the children to listen and STOP for cars coming out of driveways.

Older children

Cycling skills vary from child to child. Once they have mastered cycling on the path and understand and have the skills to obey the road rules you may feel confident that they can cycle unassisted on the paths or you may teach them how to cycle on road in quiet streets.

Remember

• The children should use the STOP, LOOK, LISTEN, THINK technique before crossing intersections.
• Go through the cycling tips on this page before they set out.

Check out your school and see if Bike Ed training is available. You might like to become an assistant.

Child Restraints & Car Seats

Children under seven years of age must use a child restraint or booster seat when travelling in a car.

Driving with children

• Use the safety door (door facing onto the path/grass).
• Wear seat belts.
• Use child restraints and car seats which are Australian Standards Approved AS/NZS 1754.

Infant restraint

• Birth to 6 months (up to 700mm - 850mm long) (up to 9kg - 12kg).
• The restraint should be fitted to instructions.
• South Coast Auto Service 989 Raglan Parade is Warrnambools’ registered restraint fitting station which is a service provided by RACV and VicRoads.
• VicRoads Website (link is at the bottom of the page) for further information about fitting a restraint correctly.

Child car seat

• 6 months to 4 years (Around 70cm to 100cm tall) (8kg to 18kg).
• A baby should only move into a child car seat once they weigh around 8kg - 9kg and can hold their head up on their own for a while.

Booster seat

• 4 years to 8 years (around 100cm to 140cm) (14kg to 26kg) & #8232.
• Research has shown that parents often move their child into an adult seat belt before they are ready, greatly increasing the risk of a serious injury.
• It is highly important that children up to 8 years of age, or up to 140cm tall are restrained in booster seats.

Alcohol

At .05 your risk of being involved in a road crash is doubled. Alcohol affects us all in different ways. Remember, it’s in your hands. Blood Alcohol Concentration continues to rise after you have finished drinking.

Remember

• Lots of factors affect how much you can drink before you can drive.
• Remember to eat before you drink and while you drink.
• Drink lots of water - hydrate yourself before you drink and while you drink.
• Avoid alcohol whilst using medication or illegal substances.
• Alcohol can affect you differently if you are feeling stressed or tired!
• Try and count the amount of alcoholic drinks you have consumed per hour and stick to a limit.
• Plan to drink; call a taxi or organise a designated driver.

Community programs

IT’S IN YOUR HAND - community breathalyser.

At some community events you can test your Blood Alcohol Concentration for free. You might be surprised.

VicRoads - alcohol, drugs and road safety

Learn about how alcohol and other drugs including medicines affect your driving ability and increase the chances of a crash and strategies to avoid driving while impaired.

Dob in a Hoon

Crime Stoppers and Western District Road Safety Council are supporting an initiative aimed to make you feel safer on the roads.

Members of the public are able to phone in and provide police with information that can help get dangerous drivers off the road.

Residents are encouraged to ‘dob-in’ drivers who engage in street racing, burn outs, fish tailing and other dangerous hoon activity.

DOB IN A HOON: 1800 333 000