Responsibility
Commonwealth
Active safety systems such as ESC and AEB prevent crashes, while vehicle crashworthiness reduces death and injuries when crashes occur. The protection of a 2013 built Australian vehicle is double that of 20 years ago, due to a combination of regulatory and non-regulatory activities. Following the 2017 mandating of a new Australian Design Rule for pole-side impact, further work is being undertaken towards adopting new international crash standards for full-frontal impact and modernising existing standards for offset-frontal and side-impact.
The Commonwealth will examine the latest international standards for full-frontal, offset-frontal and side-impact occupant protection for light vehicles for implementation in the Australian new vehicle fleet, and finalise a regulatory package through the Australian Design Rules (subject to RIS outcomes).