Bruce Highway, south of Cairns: the Dept of Main Roads is reviewing speed limits on the Bruce Highway south of Edmonton and legal overtaking opportunities between Cairns and Gordonvale to improve safety on this section of highway.

Reduced speed limits: the Dept has reduced speed limits on various roads in the far north region, including the Captain Cook Highway and Kuranda Range Road, to improve safety for motorists. There has been a significant reduction in reported crashes on the Kuranda Range since the speed limit was reduced in December 2007.

Kuranda Range Road: also on the Kuranda Range Road a comprehensive package of safety measures is being implemented. $3.8 million Safer Roads Sooner funding is provided in 2008-09 and 2009-10 for safety improvement works on the Range Road.  Current and upcoming works include curve widening works to improve safety for heavy vehicles and all road users, installation of Intelligent Transport Systems and road surface treatments to improve skid resistance on the road.

Captain Cook Highway: On the Captain Cook Highway a program of safety improvement works is being rolled out in addition to the speed limit reduction.
Additional works to be carried out later this year include shoulder widening at the roundabouts, along with the installation of additional signage and linemarking, to further boost road safety.

Kennedy Highway: a series of projects are being carried out on the Kennedy Highway to widen road shoulders and improve the road surface on sections between Mareeba and Atherton.

Signage, linemarking and pavement makers: the Dept has installed audible tactile linemarking, yellow raised pavement markers and warning signs on various roads in the far north, particularly the Tablelands area, to improve safety for motorists at night and during foggy conditions.

Cyclist Safety awareness campaign: the department, in conjunction with cyclist groups and local and state government agencies, recently rolled out the Cyclist Safety awareness campaign. This campaign is aimed at educating all road users about cyclists and the need for all people to "Share the Road".

Road safety initiative - Peninsula Developmental Road: a road safety initiative - "I survived the drive to the Cape....By driving to the conditions" was launched by the department in June 2008. This initiative aimed to increase awareness of the need for motorists to drive to the unique road and weather conditions of the Peninsula Developmental Road.
These initiatives are in addition to the capital works, routine maintenance and other safety improvement projects the department is delivering to improve the state-controlled road network in the Far North.

And from Queensland Police in the Far North region:

Operation Slow Track: An initiative focusing on motorcycle rider behaviour on the Captain Cook Highway and the Kuranda and Gillies Range roads. A mixture of enforcement, high visual police presence and education with the objective of reducing motorcycle crashes.

Operation Extreme: An enforcement and high visual police presence focusing on the detection of drink drivers within the cairns CBD area and surrounds. This operation is conducted on a regular basis by Traffic Branch Officers and general Duty Officers.

Operation Frequent: A continuing Operation focusing on high visual police presence by officers in all Division. Officers tasked to dedicate specific period of shift performing random Breath Testing and general enforcement. This Operation is conducted by police at a static site to provide high visibility policing.

Targeted Offences: Officers from the Cairns District Traffic Branch focus on monthly target offences based on intelligence. Officers concentrate on common offences such as mobile telephone usage and U Turns. The target offences are given media exposure.

Media Strategy: Officers from the Region and District regularly provide information to all forms of media addressing road safety issues and providing advice to the community on road safety issues.

School patrols: Officers are tasked to provide a police presence at local schools at the commencement and end of the school day. Officers target School speed zones and parking issues and liaise with school management to identify problem times and areas.

Targeted Highway Patrols: Police from the Cairns District traffic Branch are tasked on a daily basis to perform highway patrol duties on major highways to the north and south of the city . This task provides enforcement and a high visual police presence.

Hoon Offences: Police from the Cairns District Traffic Branch are tasked to provide a police presence in well known "hoon" areas notably on Thursday nights. As a result offenders vehicles have been impounded.

State Traffic Support Branch assistance to the Region. The State Traffic task Force and Random Drug Testing Unit have visited the Cairns area to assist local police. Drug Driving is targeted in all areas of cairns and surrounds

We have also initiated the following changes State-wide in the last few years in an effort to reduce road deaths:

• Expansion of the mobile speed camera program
• Introduction of speed camera reminder signs
• Vehicle impoundment for recidivist drink driving offences, driving while disqualified, driving while unlicensed or unregistered or driving an illegally modified vehicle
• Laying of approximately 500 km of audible line marking
• Further $20 million over three years to the Dept of Main Roads' Safer Roads Sooner program
• Introduction of cumulative periods of disqualifications for multiple alcohol related offences
• Introduction of demerit points and increased fines for heavy vehicle fatigue offences
• Enhancements to the graduated licensing system as part of the Young Drivers Safety Package. The changes require learners to log 100 hours of supervised on road driving experience recorded in a log book and introduce a two phased P1 and P2 provisional licence system
• Double demerit points to a second and subsequent speeding offence of more than 20 km/h over the speed limit within a 12 month period
• Random roadside drug testing to complement the random breath testing program
• Immediate licence suspension for high level drink driving, recidivist and dangerous driving offences
• Fixed speed cameras at high-risk and high traffic locations