Australian, state and territory road and transport ministers have recently agreed on the first National Road Safety Action Plan (2023–2025).
Designed to support the National Road Safety Strategy 2021–30, the Action Plan focuses on delivering tangible and measurable actions, clear responsibilities, and timeframes. Furthermore, it aims to identify the actions needed to implement the nine priority areas in the Strategy over the next three years.
The Australian Government has committed to pursuing important actions that will secure road safety. This includes devising targeted road safety infrastructure programs, progressing the uptake of new vehicle safety features, as well as building and upgrading heavy vehicle rest areas.
“The Australian Government is working to reduce road deaths and serious injuries across the country, engaging closely with state, territory and local governments, as well as other stakeholders, to implement the National Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030,” said Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:.
“This thorough consultation process has resulted in a National Road Safety Action Plan with achievable and meaningful actions for the Australian and state and territory governments to deliver to 2025 in pursuit of our shared priorities,” she adds.
“No deaths and serious injuries on Australian roads by 2050 is the Australian Government’s ‘Vision Zero’ commitment, but we all need to play our part,” Minister King said.
Developing Frameworks for Improved Road Safety
According to a media release, the Action Plan will also aim to develop a National Road Safety Data Collection and Reporting Framework with the help of the Australian, state and territory governments.
The framework “will provide a clearer way to build a national data set for road safety that provides insights into where serious injuries and deaths are occurring and their contributing factors.”
“The Action Plan addresses many concerns raised by stakeholders on the previous draft version of the Action Plan,” said Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Carol Brown.
“We are supporting a range of projects aimed at reducing deaths and serious injuries on Australian roads,” Ms. Brown added.
“This includes delivering programs of national significance, including the roll-out of lifesaving road treatments across the urban, rural and regional roads network and projects contributing to greater protection for vulnerable road users,” Ms. Brown said.
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