Recent Media Concerning Zero Alcohol Limit For Motorcyclists

An article appeared in the Courier Mail and on News.com.au recently stating that the Queensland Government is set to implement a zero alcohol requirement for all motorcyclists. This is not the case.

During the development of the Queensland Motorcycle Safety Strategy 2009 - 2012 it became clear that there was strong support for the implementation of a no alcohol limit for learner and provisional riders and those riders in their first year of holding a motorcycle licence even though those people may hold an open licence. An action was included within the Strategy which states “Investigate the benefits of introducing a zero alcohol limit for all motorcycle riders”.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) is in the process of developing a research project into the no alcohol requirement. This is in line with the need to establish, through evidence, whether this initiative should be progressed or not. Once the research is conducted and finalised further consideration of the suitability of implementation of the initiative will be undertaken.

Also within the Courier Mail article reference was made to mandating a minimum standard of appropriate safety gear to be worn by motorcyclists. The department has and will continue to address the use of appropriate safety gear by motorcyclists by public education and safety campaigns rather than mandating the use of safety gear.

With regard to the comments within the article relating to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for motorcycles, this again is an initiative contained within the Strategy.  This initiative is couched in the terms of monitoring the development of alternative technologies able to be used for the identification of motorcycles.  DTMR is currently reviewing the technology and to date no decision has been made to implement RFID technology as an identifier for motorcycles or any other vehicle.  It is not known at this time whether the technology can in fact achieve the desired outcome and that will not be known until further research into the technology is conducted.