A road safety expert has praised the recent decision to reduce the speed limit by half at a popular east coast campground and beach. And while data shows that lowering speeds save lives, some locals have criticised the move, arguing that a few reckless individuals are disrupting the enjoyment for the majority.
Late last month, Queensland’s Environment Department announced the speed limit on the 14km section of the Cooloola beach stretch, adjacent to the Teewah Beach camping area, had been reduced to 40 kilometres per hour. The spot, north of Noosa Heads on the Sunshine Coast, is extremely popular among travellers and locals alike and is known for four-wheel-driving on the beach. There is no change to the 80km/h speed limit on other sections of Teewah Beach, unless otherwise signed.
But some people clearly hadn’t received the message, a concern that this week prompted a local to issue a public reminder. “Police have been and will be enforcing this speed limit during the festive season, slow down and enjoy paradise,” the local business owner, who sells ice to campers, warned.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Dr Lauren Pearson from Sustainable Mobility and Safety Research at Monash University explained how reducing speed limits has been “overwhelmingly positive” for many local communities around Australia.
“Reducing speeds in these kinds of areas where we have a whole mix of people, cars and other vehicles moving around is the smart choice,” Pearson told Yahoo.
“Beaches and campgrounds are the kind of places where people, and particularly kids, should be able to enjoy a space without risking serious injury. Speed reductions are one of the more cost effective steps we can take toward making our streets safe and usable by people of all ages and abilities.”
Vehicle access on the sand at Teewah has proven controversial in recent years. Above hundreds of 4WDs on the beach during the popular Pink Run event in 2017. Source: Rainbow Beach Community News
Benefits of speed reductions ‘insurmountable’, but not all locals convinced
Pearson argued that “at this stage, the evidence for the benefits of speed reductions” is “insurmountable”. She said they are one of the “most cost-effective measures we can implement” that result in huge benefits for “road safety and for liveability”.
Camping is allowed anywhere along the 14km stretch at Teewah, and based on the almost 700 responses to the local’s warning, residents and visitors to the popular spot said they feel they’re suffering the consequences of the irresponsible few.
“Don’t allow P-platers on the beach and that will stop 70 per cent of the problems there,” one person suggested.
“40km/h in soft sand is ridiculous. I understand the safety aspects, but this is over the top. Educate your kids that this is a road. It’s what my parents [have] done and [what] I’ve done with mine,” said another.
“It won’t be long and they will close these beaches to motorists. I give it five years. Too much traffic on the beaches now,” somebody else suggested. A number of people agreed with this point, with one pushing for restricting “vehicles altogether” from the beach “to keep wildlife and people safe from speeding”.
Speeding, Pearson said, is a significant contributor to road fatalities in Australia. Road trauma in particular remains the leading cause of death for children across the country.
Pearson said lower limits in places where people and motor vehicles mix, “are needed now more than ever” across Australia. “[Particularly] as we are seeing rapid population growth across all cities,” she said.
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