The Federal Government has announced the launching of the new National Road Safety Strategy after the Australian Transport Council officially offered its endorsement of the initiative.

 

The National Road Safety Strategy will aim to reduce road fatalities and casualties by 30% by 2030.

 

State governments have agreed to a set of first steps to be implemented over the next three years, with a number of measures proposed for further consideration and possible implementation as the strategy progresses. 

 

Agreed first steps include:

  • ensuring all new road projects apply Safe System principles;
  • modifying infrastructure funding guidelines to increase the safety benefits resulting from road programs;
  • using national guidelines to assess speed limits on higher-risk roads;
  • developing a national public information campaign about the community safety benefits that would result from improved compliance with speed limits;
  • strengthen the deterrence effects of random breath testing programs (RBT) and random roadside drug testing programs;
  • requiring all government fleets to implement nationally-agreed fleet purchasing policies and encourage adoption by other fleet operators; and
  • expanding the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) to increase the coverage of crash test results across the full range of new vehicles on the Australian market.

 

The full National Road Safety Strategy can be accessed here:

http://www.atcouncil.gov.au/documents/files/NRSS_2011_2020_20May11.pdf