Workplace Road Safety

For many jobs, driving is an important part of work. However, work-related travel contributes to road crashes and work health and safety risks for workers. Factors that may contribute to road crashes while travelling for work include:

  • fatigue
  • distraction
  • speeding.

Work vehicles are considered as part of the workplace. Businesses should have work health and safety policies and procedures that demonstrate road safety as a priority.

Workplace road safety is a key focus in:

Workplace Road Safety Guide

The number one reason for people being seriously injured or killed at work is vehicles on the roads.

The Workplace Road Safety Guide (PDF, 20181 KB) supports workers and employers to embed a culture of road safety in their workplace. It provides information, tools and resources to help with vehicle safety at work.

Templates are available to help workplaces with implementing the guide:

Case study

SA Power Networks is a great example of an organisation that displays a positive approach to workplace road safety.

Through their membership with the National Road Safety Partnership Program, SA Power Networks has adopted proven approaches to improve road safety.

Read a case study on how SA Power Networks built a strong road safety culture through:

  • leadership
  • in-vehicle data
  • genuine consultation
  • driver education
  • industry partnerships.

Vehicles as a Workplace: Work Health and Safety Guide

The Vehicles as a Workplace: Work Health and Safety Guide was a collaborative effort by:

  • Australian state and territory agencies
  • the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator
  • other stakeholders.

This guide helps anyone who uses a vehicle for work. It provides a work health and safety framework for managing road traffic risks. The guide covers all vehicles used for transport businesses. Examples include buses, trucks and taxi operators.

The guide helps organisations develop policies and procedures that meet their obligations and provide a safe workplace.

National Road Safety Partnership Program

The National Road Safety Partnership Program is available to all businesses. The program supports them to develop a positive road safety culture.

The program provides tools, evidence and support to improve road safety in and outside our workplaces. It works with organisations throughout Australia to:

  • increase knowledge about road safety
  • build a safety culture.

SafeWork SA

SafeWork SA is South Australia’s work health and safety regulator. It:

  • enforces work health and safety legislation
  • provides advice and education on work health and safety
  • investigates workplace incidents
  • provides licences and registration for workers and plant.

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

The responsibility of regulating heavy vehicle safety is shared by:

  • the South Australian Government
  • the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.

An overview of roles and responsibilities is below.

SA Government

  • Driver licensing and vehicle registration
  • Road safety laws - driver behaviour
  • Passenger transport regulation
  • Enforcement of South Australian Road and vehicle laws
  • State road infrastructure - development, maintenance and network management
  • National input - Heavy Vehicle National Law, Australian Road Rules, Australian Design Rules
  • Driver education and awareness

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

  • Compliance and enforcement - Heavy Vehicle National Law
  • Access (Oversize Mass) - Heavy Vehicle National Law notices/permits
  • Heavy Vehicle Standards
  • National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme
  • Performance Based Standards Scheme
  • Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue - Electronic Work Diary approvals, exemptions
  • Industry Codes of Practice
  • Education of heavy vehicle industry and parties in supply chain