Mr Dreznes is recognised as one of the world's leading experts on roadside safety and travels the world promoting the concept of "forgiving highways". Based in Chicago, he has conducted road safety seminars in more than 50 countries.

The visit - sponsored by Boylan Group and Roads Australia - will enable Mr Dreznes to meet with government and industry leaders in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as making the keynote address to the Australian Road Engineering and Maintenance Conference on March 13.

He will also be the lunchtime speaker at a live crash demonstration of the BarrierGuard road safety barrier at Melbourne's Sandown Raceway on March 15.

The demonstration will involve a car impacting the barrier at 80km/h after crossing one lane of traffic at an angle of 15 degrees.

Barrierguard - the highest-rating road safety barrier in Australia - has been designed to absorb an impact and will redirect the vehicle back on to the road with minimal damage to the car or the barrier. Attendees will be invited to inspect both the car and the barrier following the impact.

Industry professionals interested in attending the lunch and live crash demonstration are invited to email patriciaf@boylan.net.au for further details.

To watch a live crash demonstration conducted in Sydney recently, visit www.boylan.net.au

Race officials at the recent Geelong Revival could rest easy knowing that drivers and spectators were safeguarded by Australia's highest-rating road safety barrier - the steel BarrierGuard.

BarrierGuard is the only temporary steel barrier in the world to meet the requirements of the standard NCHRP 350 (Test Level 4) and EN 1317-2 (Containment Levels N2 and H2).

Boylan Group managing director Peter Boylan - a motor sport competitor of many years standing - said the motor racing community had made enormous leaps in terms of driver safety in recent years.

"However, spectator safety is just as important and a barrier like the BarrierGuard is the best available to do the job," he said.

Peter said the January 13 accident in Gippsland, where five spectators - four of them children - were injured when a ute crashed out of control during a mud racing event, was an avoidable incident.

"Luckily, in this case, a tragedy was averted but next time someone could lose their life and that would be terrible," he said.  

To learn more about BarrierGuard, visit www.boylan.net.au 

Boylan Group extends a warm welcome to its new Victorian sales manager, Damien Jurina.

Damien comes to role after several years in the capital equipment field as a regional sales manager for a company selling power generators, compressors, pumps and lighting towers. Prior to that, he worked in the hire industry.

"My background has given me a wide depth of knowledge into the needs of the roads and construction industry," Damien said.

"I'm looking forward to getting out and meeting each and every one of Boylan's valued customers," he said.

For product information or sales inquiries, call Damien on  

0419 755 417.                                                             

An artist in London is highlighting the city's pothole plague by turning them into mini gardens.

Steve Wheen has spent the last four years searching out potholes on London's streets and pavements, which he fills with miniature garden displays.

The "guerrilla gardener" told the BBC he wants to bring "moments of happiness" to anyone who stumbles across one of his creations. 

Thousands of traffic signs are being brought down across the United Kingdom as part of a Government drive to rid streets of clutter.

Highways Magazine reports that the UK's Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin is urging local authorities to continue the cull.

In London alone, 8000 repeater signs (signs that remind drivers of an already-stated restriction or requirement) and 4000 poles, installed on the capital's roads in the early 1990s, have been ripped out. Laid out side by side, these would stretch almost 4.2km.

"There are too many unnecessary signs blotting the landscapes of our towns and cities," Mr McLoughlin said.