Federal Government must flex its muscles to drive improved road safety outcomes

Sept 25, 2019 – The Reviving Road Safety Strategy released today makes a compelling case for stronger Federal leadership to help turn around Australia’s road toll.

Released by the Australian Automobile Association and endorsed by key stakeholder groups including Roads Australia, the Strategy proffers practical, cost-effective steps that can be readily adopted to reboot Australia’s national approach to road safety.

Roads Australia President David Stuart-Watt has urged the Federal Government to take heed of the Strategy and ‘flex more of its muscle’ to influence road safety outcomes. 

“The initiatives outlined in this report seek to strengthen the Commonwealth’s role and commitment in areas where it has the power to make a real difference, such as linking investment in road infrastructure to safety outcomes, encouraging the uptake of safer vehicles, and strengthening the purpose of the Office of Road Safety,” he said today.

“The establishment of the Office last year was a welcome and positive move by the Government.

“The Reviving Road Safety Strategy outlines a very clear direction for the Office, not just around data collection and analysis but in driving the development and implementation of the next National Road Safety Strategy.

“But to achieve these outcomes, it needs to be adequately resourced and funded into the future.”

Mr Stuart-Watt said the next National Road Safety Strategy also represented a significant opportunity to improve safety outcomes for roadworkers.

“For many Australians the road is their place of work, and in the midst of the current road construction boom we need to be focussed more than ever on minimising the risks they face,” he said.

“Roads Australia had the opportunity of making this point at this month’s Key Road Safety Stakeholder Roundtable convened by the Deputy Prime Minister, and we will continue to work closely with the Government and its relevant agencies to ensure the post-2020 National Road Safety Strategy includes a strong focus on roadworker safety.”

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