Towards Naught On The Roads Inwards Oz
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
In America, drivers don't essay to kill other drivers. In Australia, drivers essay non to kill other drivers.
After almost iii months here, I've decided that this deviation inwards attitudes is the biggest affair that separates these ii cultures.
America was built on a civilization of individualism, sometimes called "rugged individualism." In Australia, gild is characterized yesteryear a much greater grade of communitarianism.
The house of traffic fatalities inwards the ii countries provides a dainty example.
There are most 32,000 traffic-related fatalities inwards the U.S. per year, most 10 per 100,000 population. I mean value if y'all were to inquire most American drivers most this figure, they would in all likelihood answer, "These things happen." There is virtually no line of piece of occupation concern inwards the full general population most these deaths, as well as in that location is for certain trivial or no evidence that route dangers influence the fashion inwards which people drive.
In Australia, in that location are most 1200 deaths per year, or most 5 per 100,000 population.
A two-fold deviation is pretty significant, as well as Commonwealth of Australia would for certain endure entitled to residuum on its laurels. But folks hither empathise that in that location is no virtue inwards benchmarking yourself to a substandard norm. Instead, every bit illustrated yesteryear the a plan of the Victorian Transport Accident Commission, they've laid an objective of zero. The way explains:
At the pump of Towards Zero is the belief that human wellness is paramount to all else. It acknowledges that, every bit people, nosotros all brand mistakes. However, when mistakes occur on our roads they tin terms us our lives or get serious injury. That's because our bodies aren't made to absorb the forces of high touching on speeds. We are fragile, as well as there's solely as well as thus much physical strength nosotros tin withstand as well as this is why nosotros involve to gear upward a safer route system. Improving the security of our roads, our speeds, our vehicles as well as our people volition improve security for everyone. The displace Towards Zero is a collaborative attempt betwixt everyone inwards the community. Together, nosotros tin gear upward a safer route organisation as well as help alter route security for the better.
A motility is only a motility if it does non possess got concur inwards the minds as well as conduct of the target audience. I'm hither to study that every bit I drive on the highways as well as streets of Victoria, I run across it inwards action. When y'all are on the highway, as well as the speed restrain is 100 km/hour, people larn at 100 km/hour. In the US, when the speed restrain is lx mph, the expectation is that y'all volition larn inwards a higher house that. In Victoria, y'all don't run across people engaged inwards a "Grand Prix" shape of driving, weaving inwards as well as out of lanes to describe ahead of cars inwards front end of you. As a result, automobile go is a lot less stressful as well as to a greater extent than comfortable, non to hollo safer.
In talking amongst friends here, they admit that really strict enforcement of the speed laws--and high penalties--keeps your hear on doing the correct thing. But they besides follow upward yesteryear maxim that they are pleased that such is the case. Why, they say, should people larn out when they don't possess got to.
In the US, if nosotros mean value most the number at all, nosotros tend sentiment those who powerfulness larn out every bit "somebody else," as well as nosotros experience no feel of responsibleness towards those potential victims. In Australia, when they mean value most the issue, they sentiment those who powerfulness larn out every bit a fellow member of their community, as well as they experience a nifty feel of responsibleness inwards minimizing the potential for harm.
In a hereafter column, I volition explore whether this communitarian sentiment of Australian gild carries over into wellness care--whether in that location is a comparable commitment "towards zero" amongst see to preventable damage inwards hospitals.