Shock car tracking data: why the Gold Coast is the speed capital

An Upper Coomera street is off the charts when it comes to speeding on the Gold Coast. SEE THE FULL LIST OF STREETS

THE Gold Coast is the speed capital of Queensland with a majority of motorists in the city’s fastest growing suburbs driving almost 20km/h higher than the road limit.

On hinterland roads renowned for hooning, at least 96 per cent of drivers are recording almost 70km/h in a 60km/h zone.

Worse still, only 6 per cent slow down when they pass flashing warning signs.

Gold Coast hinterland roads are popular for hoons.

Data shows the suburbs that feature most in the top 20 for speedsters on suburban streets include Upper Coomera and Pacific Pines, along with Reedy Creek and Mudgeeraba.

The top eight Gold Coast roads for speeding and the percentage of vehicles speeding on approach to speed awareness devices, according to recent historical data from Gold Coast City Council, are:

* Brygon Creek Drive, Upper Coomera, 96 per cent.

* Waverly Drive, Pimpama, 77 per cent.

* Foxwell Road, Coomera, 73 per cent.

* Simpson Road, Elanora, 72 per cent.

* Guanaba Creek Road, Guanaba, 69 per cent.

* Marine Parade, Miami, 62 per cent.

* Capricorn Drive, Pacific Pines 60 per cent.

* Salvado Drive, Pacific Pines, 59 per cent.

Frustrated councillors, aware speed records along some roads have not changed for the better over five years despite warning devices, are considering tougher measures.

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Hinterland-based councillor Glenn Tozer will introduce a local traffic management plan that considers using speed bumps where surveys have shown no improvement in poor driver behaviour.

In August 2015 the council installed eight “smiley” electronic roadside speed warning devices as part of a Drive Save community plan, which has since been increased to 74 mobile machines.

Data on at least 13.5 million passing vehicles is collected each six months.

Latest research shows that across the city, on average 25 per cent of vehicles were above the speed limit as motorists passed the devices.

About 13 per cent were speeding once they passed the signs but some later reduced their speed by 8km/h.

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In the first of a series of special traffic reports in 2015, the Bulletin warned the Glitter Strip was the state’s speed capital, with hundreds of thousands of leadfoot motorists paying out more than $38 million in annual fines.

One hidden camera just north of the Broadbeach Convention and Exhibition Centre was capturing 28,000 motorists a year driving faster than 60km/h.

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The council introduced the speed awareness devices as part of its road safety plan for 2015-20, rotating them through the divisions after councillors identified speeding hot spots.

In an initial report which analysed the data, officers said: “It is clear that where devices are installed, the speed of speeding vehicles reduces. Given that excessive speed has been found to contribute to 33 per cent of Gold Coast road fatalities, the speed reductions as a result of the speed awareness devices are improving road and community safety.”

Cr Tozer knows from examination of data that a speed reduction has occurred on some roads over the past five years, but others renowned for hooning need more than speed devices.

Councillor Glenn Tozer — working on improving road safety. Picture: Jerad Williams.

“The DriveSafe speed awareness initiative, which many will know as the electronic smiley face signs in suburban streets, has been really helpful in collecting data about speeding hot spots and changing driver behaviour in some cases,” he said.

“Where the DriveSafe program has shown behaviour has not changed, it compels us to consider other methods to slow drivers such as speed bumps or other traffic calming.

“One example in Mudgeeraba is Wallandra Drive where over a 24-month period data shows that more than 50 per cent are still speeding on approach to the device when it is in location.

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“We’ve engaged a traffic consultant to design a solution as part of a Mudgeeraba local area traffic management plan and that will be ready in coming weeks.

“It is possible the only way to slow people down is to use a speed bump or raised crossing.

“Small speed bumps have been a good solution we used just around the corner on Cobai Drive and Hinterland Drive, near the AMAZE childcare centre.”

Cr Tozer said Gemvale Rd was a new location where devices were located and speeding vehicles were reducing their speed by 12km/h when they approach the smiley face.

“This sort of reduction can save lives and we hope even more drivers will be increasingly responsible as they become familiar with the area,” he said.