Federal infrastructure and transport assistant minister Carol Brown says that the federal government remains committed to increasing road safety following a tragic year in 2023.
Last year a total of 1,266 people died on Australian roads, an increase of more than seven per cent from 2022.
“Road safety is the responsibility of all of us, from all levels of governments right through to individual road users,” Brown says.
“It is a responsibility each and every one of us should take with the gravity that our decisions on the roads can be the difference between life and death.”
Brown says that the federal, state and territory governments commitment to road safety is outlined through the National Road Safety Strategy (2021-2030) and the National Road Safety Action Plan (2023-25).
Through the action plan, Brown says that the federal government is delivering several key initiatives and changes that are aimed to reduce road trauma in Australia.
This includes road safety infrastructure programs targeted at improving regional road safety, increasing the uptake of new vehicle safety features and upgrading heavy vehicle rest areas.
Road safety research will also be reviewed to develop a national road safety research picture while all levels of governments will look to develop a framework to support local governments to conduct road safety network risk assessments and implement policies.
“On top of the work outlined in the action plan, the federal government is delivering infrastructure and non-infrastructure funding directly targeting better road safety outcomes,” Brown says.
This includes the National Road Safety Conference being held in the first quarter of this year and the creation of a National Road Safety Education campaign. The federal government’s Road Safety Program will also contribute $976 million to live saving road safety treatment measures.