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Bold plan to improve road safety and save lives

Monday, 27 February 2023

Strong measures to reduce deaths and serious injuries - including targeting dangerous road behaviour - headline South Australia’s Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2025.

The Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2025 is informed by consultation and feedback received during the development of South Australia’s Road Safety Strategy to 2031 and implements state actions under the National Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2025.

Over the past decade, South Australia has improved road safety outcomes. However, 11 lives lost in January exceeded the monthly average.

The Action Plan identifies measures that will contribute to a target of at least a 50% reduction in lives lost and a 30% reduction in serious injuries on South Australian roads by 2031.

Poor driving behaviours, including drink and drug driving, speeding, distraction and incorrect use of seatbelts in addition to dangerous road users, will be targeted. A combination of approaches including enforcement, education and public awareness can address dangerous driving behaviours.

South Australia’s Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2025 adopts the ‘Safe System’ approach to improve our roads and encourage the uptake of safer vehicles and safe road user behaviour, particularly on regional roads.

The Action Plan will enable a focus on network safety planning that prioritises road safety infrastructure improvements and reduces risk to road users.

This includes the $150 million Adelaide Hills productivity and safety package which will deliver better road safety infrastructure in the region.

The State Government endorses a national vision of zero lives lost and serious injuries by 2050, recognising the life-long impacts of road deaths and serious injuries.

Road safety infrastructure and other measures for safer school precincts underscore the State Government’s focus on improving safety around schools.

Improved outcomes for Aboriginal road users are also a focus, including better data collection and exploring opportunities to expand the successful On the Right Track (licensing) program.

A progress report will be published annually with ten focus areas:

  • Schools and local places
  • Public transport, cycling and walking
  • Motorcyclists
  • Aboriginal road users
  • Road user behaviour
  • Road safety in the workplace
  • Regional and remote areas
  • Heavy vehicles
  • Vehicles and technology
  • Research and data.

Last week, safety ratings for almost 400 vehicles manufactured from the year 2000 onwards were released as part of the South Australian government’s bid to help motorists make safer vehicle choices.

The Department for Infrastructure and Transport, together with the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) released the latest used car safety information to help people choose the safest vehicle for their budget.

The Department’s commitment to continuing to encourage motorists to explore safer vehicles forms part of South Australia’s Road Safety Action Plan 2023-25.

As a guide to help used car buyers prioritise safety, the Used Car Safety Ratings (UCSR) lists 389 models by market segment and their safety rating, based on police-reported crash analysis of more than 9 million vehicles across Australia and New Zealand.

Please visit www.thinkroadsafety.sa.gov.au to view South Australia’s Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2025 and South Australia’s Road Safety Strategy to 2031.