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Title: Seatbelts for Kids Subsidy Program Author: Peter Robertson Economy: Australia

Title: Seatbelts for Kids Subsidy Program Author: Peter Robertson Economy: Australia. Seatbelts for Kids Subsidy Program. 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru. 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru.

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Title: Seatbelts for Kids Subsidy Program Author: Peter Robertson Economy: Australia

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  1. Title: Seatbelts for Kids Subsidy Program Author: Peter Robertson Economy: Australia

  2. Seatbelts for Kids Subsidy Program 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru Purpose: To outline the background and operation of the Seatbelts for Kids Subsidy program for regional areas of Australia.

  3. 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru In the beginning…. • Calls from various groups over the years to require schoolchildren in regional areas to wear seatbelts while travelling in school buses • The Australian Design Rules (Commonwealth regulation) require seatbelts on buses designed for coach travel • Buses designed for route services (low floor height and seatbacks below 1 metre) do not require seatbelts • School bus requirements a matter for states and territories

  4. The Problem 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru • Concern among some groups that children are at risk on school buses using regional (> 80kph) routes • But statistically children very safe on buses – accidents rare; children more at risk when getting on and off buses • Would be very high cost to equip all buses with belts – in excess of $4 billion (problem for states) • But always possibility of catastrophic accident

  5. The Dynamic 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru • Timing – coming to a head in mid 2007 • Local political issues

  6. Options 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru • Regulate – not an option as Australian Design Rules only apply to first point of supply to the market and would never pass cost-benefit test • Subsidy scheme – very expensive – would not get through ERC in normal policy context

  7. The challenge… 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru • Get program up and running in 5 days • Decide who is eligible – debate over which regions (eg ACT) and whether private schools would be included • Maintain integrity in use of public money (ANAO best practice guidelines)

  8. Seatbelts for Kids – Eligibility 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru • Bus operators who have an existing contract and hold a current licensed/accredited with the state or territory government to service recognized rural and regional bus routes are eligible to apply. • Rural and regional bus services include those: • identified as high risk under the National Guidelines for Risk Assessment of School Bus Routes; or • that operate over roads that include speed limits exceeding 80km/h that fall outside metropolitan areas.

  9. Seatbelts for Kids – Subsidy 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru • Bus operators may apply for up to $25,000 per bus to assist with the cost of installing the seatbelts. • $10 million dollars of funding has been made available this financial year to fit seatbelts into either new school buses, or retrofit seatbelts into existing school buses.

  10. Seatbelts for Kids – Subsidy 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru • Fitment of the seatbelts: • The subsidy is to fit lap/sash (3 point) seatbelts into existing or new school buses. • For new buses the seatbelts are fitted during the manufacturing process. • For existing buses the seatbelts are retrofitted into the buses.

  11. Seatbelts for Kids – Subsidy 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru • Fitment of the seatbelts: • New school buses that are fitted with seatbelts during the manufacturing process and are required to meet national standards under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989. • Buses that are retrofitted with seatbelts are required to meet state/territory vehicle modification requirements as applicable.

  12. Seatbelts for Kids – Subsidy 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru • The Government has recently announced a third round of funding.

  13. Other issues 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru • Generally unpopular with operators and drivers • Tax issues • Limited opportunities for work to be done (ie can only do in school holiday downtimes)

  14. More information 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru • http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/safety/seatbeltsforkids/index.aspx

  15. Questions? 25-29 August 2008, Lima, Peru 31st APEC Transportation Working Group Meeting (TPT-WG31), Lima, Peru

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