Lifesaving technology is being installed at Dunkeld Intersection in Victoria, Australia. Credit: Bren Barnes.

The state government of Victoria in Australia has deployed lifesaving technology at high-risk Dunkeld Intersection onto the Glenelg Highway to ensure easy and safer commutation for motorists.

The Glenelg Highway is a 301km road in south-east Australia. It connects Mount Gambier with Ballarat. Most of the highway is located within the western part of Victoria.

The government has installed the new electronic side road activate speed signs on Glenelg Highway, where it intersects Dunkeld-Cavendish Road and Penshurst-Dunkeld Road.

Once sensors of the device detect a car approaching the side road, the speed signs are triggered that temporarily indicates a reduction of speed on the highway from 100km/h to 70km/h. The reduced speed limit remains active until there are no more vehicles waiting to turn onto the highway.

As a result, drivers waiting on side roads get a greater opportunity to enter the highway safely. Drivers on the highway also have more time to react if the side traffic fails to give way to move ahead.

In addition, the technology has been show to considerably reduce the severity of crashes.

Minister for roads and minister for road safety and the TAC Jaala Pulford said: “This is a proven technology shown to significantly decrease fatalities and serious injuries at intersections.

“This simple change will give drivers more chances to turn onto a busy highway with less risk of serious injury, while reducing the severity of crashes when they do occur.”

Data revealed that approximately 70% of fatal intersection crashes in regional Victoria happened on high-speed roads in the last five years.

Use of side road activated speed technology at intersections has helped reduce serious and fatal crashes by 89% in New Zealand.

The state government said that the upgrade forms part of the A$1.4bn Towards Zero Action Plan. Installation of the new technology is being carried out in collaboration between the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and VicRoads.

Towards Zero Action Plan seeks to slash the number of lives lost to 200 or lesser and reduce serious injuries by 15% by 2020 on Victorian roads.