Neuroscience reduces speeding on Queensland roads

Published Sunday, 19 May, 2019 at 07:00 AM

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Mark Bailey

A world-first road safety campaign is helping Queenslanders stop speeding and focus on driving thanks to neuroscience.

The second phase of the Palaszczuk Government’s 'drive smarter, not faster' campaign launched today encouraging drivers to try simple neuroscience-based exercises shown to reduce low-range speeding.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the innovative campaign last year recruited people from across the state to test a range of experiments to stop speeding.

“Dash cams were used to capture real-time footage of motorists trying each experiment and the impact on their speed and driving behaviour,” Mr Bailey said.

“After not showing how easily distracted drivers can get in first phase launched earlier this year, the second phase focuses on the results of the experiments and how they helped reduce participants' speeding.

“In one experiment, the act of acknowledging other road users increased driver's awareness of others and reduced their incidence of speeding by 26 per cent.

“The exercises have proven an effective way to combat speeding and complements the Palaszczuk Government’s $1.92 billion, four-year road safety infrastructure program.”

Mr Bailey said the two-phase campaign was developed with leading Australian neuroscientist Dr Lucia Kelleher to provide tools to stop people driving on auto-pilot.

“Our brains are so busy these days and it's a big reason why people are speeding,” Dr Kelleher said.

“These experiments give people the tools to make positive changes.

“Each experiment is different, as different things work for different people, depending on whether you are a visual, auditory or kinaesthetic learner.

“Our experiment participants found noticing people in the vehicles around them humanised their journey.”

Minister Bailey encouraged everyone to visit the StreetSmarts website and try the experiments.

“Sixty lives were lost on Queensland roads last year as a direct result of speeding,” Mr Bailey said.

“Research shows speeding only saves you 77 seconds on an average urban commute, which is insignificant when half of all speeding crashes happen at just 1-10km/h over the speed limit.

“Saving a few seconds by speeding is not worth the tragedy of dying or killing someone else on the road.”

For more information, visit www.qld.gov.au/streetsmarts

ENDS