“Road safety isn’t a political issue. Improving people’s safety on our roads should receive support from all parties,” said Penny Gale, RAA General Manager Engagement and Innovation.

“While we’ve received a number of pre-election promises, we’re still awaiting further commitments from a number of the political parties.”

Here are our four priorities and the latest on what each of the parties have committed to. Read on below for more information on each.

Safety Camera Commissioner

What RAA’s calling for:

We’re calling for a Safety Camera Commissioner that would act as an independent regulator of speed and red light cameras in South Australia, overseeing their placement and operation. We suggest the position could be funded from the Community Road Safety Fund.

What each party has committed to:

ALP: SA Labor has announced a new role within the Motor Accident Commission (MAC), which will be responsible for reviewing safety cameras. This was part of the updated Road Safety Action Plan. RAA will seek further clarification from MAC about how this role will work.

SA Liberals: If elected, they’ll conduct an audit of speed cameras in the first 100 days of office to make sure cameras are operating for safety purposes and not to raise revenue. While RAA’s happy with this commitment, it doesn’t go as far as we’d like it to.

Greens: Agrees our proposal has great potential to improve the public’s acceptance of safety cameras, particularly where there is a strong suspicion that safety is a secondary consideration to revenue-raising.

SA Best: Supports the appointment of an independent Safety Camera Commissioner to oversee the management of the system and act as independent arbitrator.

Dignity: Supports the initiative of a Safety Camera Commissioner in South Australia.

Australian Conservatives: Supports the proposal of a commissioner to oversee the integrity of the system and to act as an independent regulator of speed and red light cameras in SA to make sure cameras go where they are needed.

Horrocks Highway

What RAA’s calling for:

An upgrade is needed between Gawler and Clare to improve safety on Horrocks Highway, including the installation of four additional overtaking lanes, roadside barriers and rumble strips to reduce the risk of motorists running off the road.

What each party has committed to:

ALP: It’s been identified as a short-to-medium priority (1-15 years) in the Integrated Transport and Land Use Plan. In 2017/18 and 18/19 financial years, the South Australian Labor Government has committed $3.5 million for the upgrade of 13 kilometres of the Horrocks Hwy south of Yacka. This commitment doesn’t address the section we’re most concerned about, which is from Gawler to Clare.

SA Liberals: Candidate for Frome Kendall Jackson has supported RAA’s proposal, while Opposition transport spokesman David Pisoni has said getting started on upgrading the Horrocks Highway will be a priority of a Marshall Liberal Government.

SA Best: Nick Xenophon’s party says regional roads like Horrocks Hwy will be budgeted and appropriately costed, along with ongoing maintenance plans.

Greens: Supportive of measures that improve road safety.

Dignity: Acknowledges the need for road improvements to be made and supports this proposal.

Australian Conservatives: Says it’s supportive of upgrading all state roads and would look to address this via its ‘Royalties for Regions’ policy, with 35% of mining royalties to be put back into regional areas for important projects like infrastructure improvements.

Independent: Sitting Independent MP Geoff Brock has pledged to make Horrocks Highway upgrades the key bargaining chip for any party seeking his support to form Government following the State Election.

Victor Harbor Road

What RAA’s calling for:

We want Victor Harbor Rd to be duplicated to Mount Compass, along with an increase in the width of the road south of Mount Compass, and the inclusion of centre barriers to mitigate head-on crashes.

What each party has committed to:

ALP: For Victor Harbor Rd, the sitting government’s Integration Transportation and Land Use Package identified duplication between Old Noarlunga and McLaren Vale as medium-term target, with duplication through Mount Compass identified for the longer term. More targeted road widening/shoulder sealing, overtaking lanes and other safety improvements are identified for the short, medium and long terms.

SA Liberals: Supports upgrades to regional roads via their ‘Royalties for Regions’ scheme, but no specific commitment to Victor Harbor Rd.

SA Best: Backs the duplication of this notoriously dangerous transport corridor, saying it’s long overdue.

Greens: Supports this initiative, acknowledging that this corridor has experienced considerable growth in traffic and this is likely to continue into the future.

Dignity: Says our proposal is a sensible part of a solution to reducing the significant number of crashes on Victor Harbor Road.

Australian Conservatives: Recognises how important it is to upgrade and duplicate this section of road.

Road Safety Education

What RAA’s calling for:

RAA is asking for a commitment of $400,000 per year to enable Street Smart Primary to be available to every school in SA with a primary enrolment.

What each party has committed to:

ALP: Has committed to ongoing funding for Street Smart Primary to ensure it can be delivered to every South Australian primary school.

SA Liberals: There has been no specific commitment to expanding Street Smart Primary. Instead, the Liberals have said they are always open to discussions with RAA around initiatives to improve education and a future Marshall Liberal Government would work closely with all stakeholders around potential programs.

SA Best: Supports the expansion of the Street Smart Primary so that more students can benefit from learning these life-saving skills early.

Greens: Says road-safety education is absolutely critical in helping keep kids safe,  and welcomes any measures that give kids skills to navigate safely through our suburbs and towns is welcome.

Dignity: Supportive of the program being rolled out across South Australia.

Australian Conservatives: Believes road-safety education saves lives and creates a safer environment for all road users.

Fuel price transparency

As well as these four key priorities, a number of parties showed support for better fuel price transparency last month – an initiative RAA’s long been calling for. Read more here.