"In Australia, a country with a terrible occurrence and societal acceptance of violent road deaths (would we, for example, be so lackadaisical about the death “toll” were we measuring killings, accidental and otherwise, involving knives or dogs or lawnmowers?), we are culturally imbued with notions of our “rights” rather than our “privileges” when it comes to motor vehicle driving. Something to do with our vast expanses and wide-open roads perhaps."
>>
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/18/when-dad-couldnt-drive-any-more-it-was-devastating-but-he-was-just-too-old
#RoadViolence #cars #SUVs #roads #violence #accident #RoadTrauma #RoadTrafficFatalities #roadkill #sprawl #Australia #MobilityDesign

The Guardian · Mar 17When Dad couldn’t drive any more, it was devastating – but he was just too oldBy Paul Daley

**BellingenNSW** @Bellingen@mastodon.au · Mar 14

Mar 14

BellingenNSW @Bellingen@mastodon.au

Australians’ love affair with monster family cars

"These big cars are fuelling congestion, blocking up streets and outstripping the size of car parks, leading to calls to build bigger ones – dismaying safety and environment advocates."

"The Monash University Accident Research Centre has also found that larger cars are much more likely to cause deaths and serious injuries to other people when they’re in an accident."

“We’re breathing emissions, our children are breathing emissions...You’re polluting the air.”
>>
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/15/you-have-unmet-needs-the-psychology-behind-australias-love-affair-with-big-cars
#cars #SUVs #families #Australia #identity #schoolrun #climatechange #pollution #RoadViolence #MobilityDesign #standards #governance

The Guardian · Mar 14‘You have unmet needs’: the psychology behind Australia’s love affair with big carsBy Tory Shepherd

**BellingenNSW** @Bellingen@mastodon.au · Feb 22

Feb 22

BellingenNSW @Bellingen@mastodon.au

Highway expansions and road widening
How America (Australia) Can Break Its Highway Addiction

"After a century of rampant roadbuilding, the U.S. highway network is ubiquitous, dominating the American landscape in bucolic rural settings as well as dense urban ones. Rather than being a tool for mobility, it has become a monument to an auto-centric lifestyle that fouls the air and depletes the public coffers. Neither the country nor the planet can afford to keep expanding it."

"At the federal level, even asking questions about the collective climate impact of highway building appears verboten."
>>
https://slate.com/business/2024/08/construction-traffic-cars-driving-transportation-highway.html
#Sprawl #roads #highways #expansion #cars #automobility #industry #asphalt #Motordom #MobilityDesign #ClimateBreakdown #pollution #NSW #CoffsHarbour #bellingen #GlenifferRoad

The 14-kilometre Coffs Harbour bypass project for $2.2 billion. That's a lot of cycle and footpaths.
What active mobility?

**BellingenNSW** @Bellingen@mastodon.au · Dec 12, 2024 *

Dec 12, 2024 *

BellingenNSW @Bellingen@mastodon.au

Koala deaths though road and highway crashes

“There were five koala deaths on this section of the Bruxner Highway in August alone and any protection measure we can take to reduce that toll is worth taking. A section of the highway between Lismore and Casino will have the speed reduced from 100km to 80km in a bid to reduce koala deaths...Members of the public regularly call us about koalas in roadside trees, which causes sleepless nights wondering if they will be the next ones hit that we have to pick up.”

There seems to be a lack of impact data on the 'dispersed' koalas of the 'upgraded' Gleniffer 'Highway' through the industrially logged forests of Bellingen/Gleniffer. The 50s mobility design has achieved its goal, more traffic is speeding now. Meanwhile, photos proliferate of 'koalas in roadside trees'.
>>
https://indynr.com/speed-zone-change-on-bruxner-highway-will-reduce-koala-deaths/
#koalas #wildlife #MobilityDesign #roads #cars #roadkill #DeathHotspots #speed #GlenifferRoad #speeding #BellingenLogging #Bellingen #Gleniffer #conservation #MembersOfThePublic

Richmond Valley and Kyogle news · Dec 11, 2024Speed zone change on Bruxner Highway will reduce koala deathsThe change is expected to come into effect before Christmas on a 6.1km stretch

**BellingenNSW** @Bellingen@mastodon.au · Sep 10, 2024 *

Sep 10, 2024 *

BellingenNSW @Bellingen@mastodon.au

Massive SUVs/utes and pedestrian safety regulation

"The U.S. government’s road safety agency wants the auto industry to design new vehicles including increasingly large SUVs and pickup trucks so they reduce pedestrian deaths and injuries."

"The rule would cover all passenger vehicles weighing 10,000 pounds or less, but it’s is aimed largely at big SUVs and pickups, which have grown in size and hood height over the years, causing blind spots for drivers."

"NHTSA said pedestrian deaths increased 57% from 2013 to 2022, from 4,779 to 7,522. The agency says the rule would save 67 lives per year. Data show that nearly half of all pedestrian deaths when hit by the front of a vehicle are most common for SUVs and trucks."
>>
https://apnews.com/article/us-pedestrian-safety-rule-suvs-pickup-trucks-8ab66c3416dcb91484ec502d6e114ad1

Utes and SUVs make up entire top 10 in record year of new car sales in Australia
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/04/australia-2023-new-car-sales-record-list-top-utes-suvs-ford-ranger-toyota-hilux
#Cars #SUVs #regulation #pedestrians #FootTraffic #violence #MobilityDesign