Enhanced warning signage has been installed at 14 McLaren Vale intersections.

We have now begun the six-week commissioning process for RJAWS at the following intersections:

• Seaview Road, Coppermine Road, and Olivers Road
• Aldinga Road, California Road, and Olivers Road
• Malpas Road and California Road

These systems will be fully operational by September 2024.

RJAWS will be installed soon at two additional intersections: Main Road, Malpas Road, and Binney Road; and Bayliss Road and Communication Road. This will also involve changing the priority at the intersection.

A Rural Junction Active Warning Signage (RJAWS) is a road sign equipped with a radar system designed to activate a flashing light warning system. These features are intended to improve driver awareness by providing advance notice of upcoming intersections, ultimately enhancing safety on rural roads.

For vehicles approaching at speed on the minor road, the RJAWS system will activate the stop/give way signs, causing the edges to flash in bright red. This additional warning signal prompts the driver to slow down, reducing the risk of collisions.

On the major road, where drivers have right of way, a Variable Message Sign (VMS) will activate, alerting drivers that a vehicle is approaching from the side road. This notification serves to heighten awareness, increase reaction times, and allows for a safer response if the driver on the minor road fails to stop and appears likely to proceed through the intersection.

This proactive approach is aligned with the Safe System Approach, which is a philosophy acknowledging that people may make mistakes. The RJAWS system aims to significantly reduce the likelihood of high-speed collisions and minimise their impact.

Typically, major roads have the right of way at crossroad intersections, ensuring smoother traffic flow and reducing the likelihood of motorists on the minor road approaches failing to give way. Where traffic patterns change over time, a reassessment may be necessary for optimal traffic management and safety.

In the case of Communication Road, this road currently carries much higher traffic volumes than Bayliss Road, therefore the majority of vehicles are required to stop at the intersection, whereas the minority of vehicles travelling along Bayliss Road have priority. Due to the much higher volumes on Communication Road, there is a higher probability of a motorist failing to give way at the current arrangement, and therefore a higher likelihood of a high-speed collision occurring.

On this basis we propose to change the priority at this intersection so that vehicles on Bayliss Road are required to give way to those travelling along Communication Road. Altering the priority at an intersection can introduce safety risks until motorists become familiar with the change, therefore we plan to implement temporary warning signage to draw attention to the change. This will assist motorists, especially locals familiar with the intersection, in adapting to the new traffic conditions.