Road safety

Driving too fast is the biggest contributor to death and injury on NSW roads. In Port Stephens, 1 in 5 crashes involve speeding. Council supports the enforcement of speed limits in Port Stephens to reduce the likelihood of crashes and improve crash outcomes.

Council works in partnership with Port Stephens-Hunter Police Command to support state-wide enforcement operations and to provide data for targeted enforcement on local streets. Council maintains the correct signage of speed limits as set by Transport for NSW.

The faster you go, the longer it takes to stop.

© State of New South Wales (Transport for NSW) [2022]

Speed also impacts the chance of survival in a crash:

(Based on Wramborg, P 2005, ‘A new approach to a safe and sustainable road structure and street design for urban areas’, Road safety on four continents conference, 2005, Warsaw, Poland, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI), Linkoeping, Sweden.)

The Centre for Road Safety website contains information about the Speed Adviser app, the locations of speed cameras and how to nominate a location for a speed camera. See more here.

Reporting speeding or dangerous driving

NSW Police are the responsible agency for driving violations on our roads. Police rely on information from the public to make our streets safer. You are encouraged to report instances of unsafe or reckless driving and breaches of law, including speeding and hooning behavior, by calling the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.

If you’re drinking – don’t drive. Always have a Plan B.

You don’t have to be drunk to be affected by alcohol. The effects of alcohol are wide ranging and impossible to avoid. These include:

• Slowed brain function
• Reduced ability to make decisions or react quickly
• Elevated confidence, leading to greater risk taking
• Reduced balance and coordination
• Increased drowsiness, making it easier to fall asleep at the wheel.

© State of New South Wales (Transport for NSW) [2022]

Council partners with the Port Stephens Liquor Accord to use ‘Plan B’ messaging and encourage NSW drivers to make positive choices to get home safely after drinking.

Taking illegal drugs before driving puts you at greater risk of a crash. Transport for NSW’s Centre for Road Safety crash data shows that the presence of illegal drugs is involved in around the same number of fatal crashes as illegal levels of alcohol. Learn more about the effects and the penalties of drug driving here.

Holiday Time: 'Slow Down, Kids Around'

Council works with the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation during school holiday periods to promote pedestrian safety messages in popular locations. Colourful signage pops up as a reminder to be extra vigilant. The program urges parents to hold hands with any children in their supervision when on the roadside.

Port Stephens Library has a copy of LBDF Founder Michelle McLaughlin’s story “Tom’s Holiday”. It provides talking point for families and contains safety tips and reminders for parents and children about why it’s important to hold hands by the roadside.

Shared Pathways

Care should be taken in areas of high pedestrian activity due to the variety of users on shared pathways.

Here are some tips for path users:

• Cyclists and mobility scooters should slow down to walking speed and warn pedestrians of their approach by ringing a bell or calling out 'coming through'.
• Keep to the left on the path, this allows others to safely pass you if they wish.
• If you wish to stop, move off the path to the left so you don't obstruct other path users.
• If you are walking with your dog, please keep it on a short lead when passing by others.
• Make eye contact with a driver before stepping off the kerb. Don’t assume a driver has seen you.
• Use pedestrian crossings wherever possible.
• Children under the age of 10 years should be well supervised by an adult even on quiet back streets and should be taught to keep to the left.
• By law, all cyclists, regardless of age, must wear an Australian standards approved bicycle helmet whenever they ride.

School Zones

Please choose safety over convenience when it comes to movement in school zones. School zones contain enforceable time-bounded traffic and parking rules to increase pedestrian safety for school children during key drop off and pick up times. These information boards are found around school zones:

Schools, parents and guardians can download the following information flyers about school zones:

• PSC School Flyer - Single sided tips (PDF 253.7KB)
• PSC School Flyer - Single sided parking rules and tips (PDF 272.2KB)
• PSC School Flyer - Doubled sided rules and tips with penalties (PDF 452.5KB)

The NSW Centre for Road Safety contains further information about safety around school zones.