An online survey about motorcycle safety targets Victorian riders, but also allows input from interstate riders who travel the many great motorcycling roads in the state.
VicRoads’ survey also asks state riders where they should spend the money collected from the $70 annual safety levy.
The online survey is not only open to Victorian riders, but also interstate riders who visit Victoria for its many great winding roads.
You can take the 10-minute survey by clicking here.
Online survey questions
It begins by asking about how often and when you ride.
However, question 7 asks “What type of motorcycle do you ride?” but only provides for one answer. It says “Choose most frequently used”, but that doesn’t show how many people have multiple registrations.
It then goes on to ask what you think would make roads safer and gives some examples such as lower rub rails, signage, good road surface and clean-up after roadworks.
The online survey also asks where you think the $70 annual safety levy finds should be spent, what causes crashes and how you react to warning signage.
They seem to suggest that safety is entirely our responsibility.
However, there are also opportunities in the survey to provide your own suggestions.
I suggested education programs for other motorists to look twice for bikes, allow room for riders to filter and use provided turnouts to let riders pass safely.
What else can you suggest?
Survey results
VicRoads says they have had “an overwhelming response” with more than 3000 responses collected so far.
The survey is available online until midnight December 15 and copies can also be collected from VicRoads Customer Service Centres.
VicRoads says survey results will be shared with the community in the new year. We will provide the results when they are issued.
Safety levy fight
Meanwhile, the Independent Riders’ Group says that nearly three years of safety levy funds have not been spent, so the annual fee should be at least halved.
IRG motorcycle road safety advocate and author Heather Ellis admits that millions collected by levy has paid for many safety projects.
MEAP independent Heather Ellis on her ThruxtonThey include the Graduated Licensing System and surface works on many popular motorcycling roads.
However, she says the proliferation of wire rope barriers on popular motorcycle roads is a concern.
The IRG is fighting agains the installation of these barriers and calling for more research on the issue to determine whether it is more dangerous for riders.