Road Safety Program

The program focuses on road user behaviour and education initiatives that are local and community based.  The program seeks to build a road safety culture in the community that promotes safe road user practices by raising community awareness about road safety, road crash prevention and encouraging participation in Council's road safety programs.

The Road Safety Officer works closely with the RTA, local Highway Patrol Police, other Hunter Region and Central Coast councils, as well as other organisations and community groups with an interest in road safety.

Current Road Safety Projects include:

• Learner Driver Workshops - Helping Supervisors of Learner Drivers
• Alternate Transport Options - Your Guide to a Safe Trip Home
• Slow Down - Targeting Great Lakes Speed Hotspots  

Crashes on our roads affect our community both socially and economically. Great Lakes Council, in its commitment to road safety, has developed a framework and direction for a co-ordinated approach to road safety over the next 3 years.

The Road Safety Strategic Plan 2009-2012 analyses RTA crash statistics over a five year period (2003-2007) and identifies road safety priorities for the Great Lakes Council area. The aim of the plan is to integrate the activities of Council with other local stakeholders such as the RTA, NSW Police, Great Lakes Liquor Accord as well as community groups such as the Safe Communities Network.

Learner Driver Workshops - Helping Learner Drivers become Safer Drivers

To reduce the death and injury of young people on our roads the NSW Government has indicated that Graduated Licensing Scheme (GLS) Learner Driver workshops are an important step in ensuring that supervisors of learner drivers take their time when teaching learner drivers during the 120 hours of compulsory driving (including 20 hours of night driving).

Young drivers represent 13 percent of licensed drivers yet they are involved in 23 percent of all fatal crashes.

GLS workshops give supervisors the opportunity to gain knowledge and confidence to not only teach, but to influence the attitude and behaviour of their young driver. Workshops run for 2 hours and cover topics such as:

How to use the new Learner-Driver log book. How to plan on-road driving practice sessions. New laws for Learner and P-plate drivers.

For further information please contact Council's Road Safety Officer.

Alternate Transport Options - Your Guide to a Safe Trip Home

Ever had that sinking feeling when a police car appears behind you? Your brain starts ticking, madly calculating how many drinks you've had. And with around 3 million drivers breath tested every year in New South Wales there's good reason to be concerned. Every police car is a Mobile RBT so if you're worried about getting breath tested... you should be.

During the last 5 years there were 73 alcohol related crashes within the Great Lakes area that resulted in an injury or death. The RTA, Great Lakes Council and Great Lakes Liquor Accord encourage you to plan your trip and consider alternate transport options.

Don't be a statistic!  If you are going to drink:

• Get a ride with a non-drinker;
• Drink in a pub or club that has a courtesy bus;
• Use public transport; or
• Catch a taxi.

To make it easier, a pocket sized transport card is available that contains all the telephone numbers you need for your local club courtesy bus, bus or taxi to ensure you get home safely.   Transport timetable cards are available to collect for free at the following locations:

• Licensed hotels and clubs;
• Tourist information centres;
• Local bottle shops;
• Some service stations;
• Some real estate agencies; and
• Council's Customer Service Centre in Breese Parade, Forster as well as Council's Stroud and Tea Gardens District Offices and the Rural Transaction Centre in Bulahdelah.