MAYOR Paul Maytom’s fear of fatigued motorists driving themselves to death has been heard.
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Councillor Maytom put forward a motion late last year calling for rumble strips to be extended throughout NSW.
The motion was carried unanimously at the 2017 Local Government NSW annual conference and now the premier herself has got behind the idea.
Gladys Berejiklian will include the extension of rumble strips in her road safety plan.
The NSW government has pledged to roll out 1600 kilometres of rumble strips and 300 kilometres in targeted safety works, such as flexible, wire-rope barriers to help prevent run-off road and head-on crashes on the road network.
Other measures include the expansion of the mandatory alcohol interlock program to include all mid-range drink driving offenders and allowing camera technology to enforce mobile phone offences.
Cr Maytom said saving people’s lives on country roads was crucial.
“People might say ‘well why are they talking about that’, but I tell you what this is just so important,” he said.
“It’s great the government have included this in their plan and I for one am happy they have listened to our concerns.
“Hopefully we will see those rumble strips being put down in areas out here.”
A rumble strip is a series of raised strips across a road or along its edge, changing the noise a vehicle's tyres make on the surface and so warning drivers of speed restrictions or of the edge of the road.
“I’ll put my hand up and say I have been affected by fatigue,” Cr Maytom said.
“It’s something we all need to be aware of. These rumble strips are effective in alerting a driver they could be drifting off the road. I know of people who have fallen asleep behind the wheel just driving between Leeton and Griffith. It doesn’t have to be a long trip.
“If we can save even just one life, then they have done their job.” Cr Maytom will now push for these rumble strips to be placed in areas where they are needed most.