Qld govt rejects petition to replace stop signs with give-way signs

The Queensland government has rejected a petition to replace all stop signs with give-way signs in the state. The petition, signed by 391 Queensland residents, argued that stop signs provide "no safety significance" and cost drivers more in fuel.

The petitioner claimed that requiring vehicles to come to a complete stop is "almost always of no safety significance" and that it "wastes a significant amount of fuel or electrical energy." They also stated that stop signs could create more traffic accidents by drivers rear-ending cars that have come to a complete halt.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Brent Mickelberg, responded to the petition, confirming that the government would not be making the change. He wrote that "stop and give-way signs are not interchangeable traffic controls," and that they "serve different road safety and traffic management functions and are installed in accordance with nationally recognised engineering standards and traffic control guidelines."

Mr Mickelberg said that stop signs are more often used on intersections where visibility is restricted, in an attempt to limit crashes. He admitted that bringing vehicles to a complete stop "may result in some additional fuel or energy consumption compared with giving way," but argued that the safety benefits outweigh any operational impacts associated with stopping.

"I recognise that unnecessary traffic controls can impose costs on road users and that traffic control devices should be proportionate to the level of risk," he wrote. "Installation of stop signs is based on an assessment of site-specific conditions, including sight distance, intersection geometry, traffic volumes and safety performance. They are not installed as a matter of routine."

Mr Mickelberg finished his response by reminding any Queenslander that if they feel an intersection may be incorrectly signed, to contact the relevant council.