Since the current National Road Safety Strategy commenced in 2011, a wide range of related research and development work has completed by various parties. Some of the key nationally-focused projects are highlighted below.
Safe Roads
Median and centreline treatments to reduce head on casualties
An Austroads project, ‘Guidance on Median and Centreline Treatments to Reduce Head On Casualties’ (SS1959), will provide guidance on cost effective initiatives to reduce head on casualties. Further information is available from Austroads.
Infrastructure improvements to reduce motorcycle casualties
An Austroads report of a two-year study ‘Infrastructure improvements to reduce motorcycle casualties’ (ST1870), investigated the influence of road infrastructure elements in the incidence and severity of motorcycle-related crashes, and identified infrastructure solutions that may help reduce these crashes. Further information is available from Austroads.
Safe System assessment framework for road infrastructure projects
The 2016 Austroads report Safe System Assessment Framework was designed to assist road agencies to incorporate Safe System principles in road infrastructure projects. This tool will assist road agencies to meet the first action item from the National Road Safety Strategy 2011–2020.
Safe System infrastructure
The final report from an Austroads research project, ‘Improving the Performance of Safe System Infrastructure' (ST1767), which examined road infrastructure elements identified as Safe System solutions, will be published shortly. An interim report and other information is available from Austroads.
Safe System roads for local government
The 2016 Austroads project, ‘Safe System Roads for Local Government’ (ST1769), identifies cost-effective measures to improve local government roads with an increased application of the Safe System. The report is available from Austroads.
Safe Speeds
Creating, sustaining and/or increasing public demand for safer speeds
The report Public demand for Safer Speeds: Identification of Interventions for Trial identifies potential interventions for trial and evaluation designed to creating, increasing, and/or sustaining public demand for safer speeds. The report is available from Austroads.
Enforcement approaches to reduce speeding by heavy vehicles
A National Transport Commission project, ‘Enforcement approaches for speeding heavy vehicles’ resulted in a policy paper published in November 2016 proposing no changes to the Heavy Vehicle National Law.
Setting speed limits at high-risk locations
The report, Model national guidelines for setting speed limits at high-risk locations, details the results of work commissioned by Austroads.
Safer speeds: an evaluation of public education materials
The report, Safer speeds: an evaluation of public education materials, details the findings of a review funded by the former National Road Safety Council. The report is available from the Centre for Automotive Safety Research.
Safe System speeds on urban arterial roads
The 2016 Austroads report, ‘Achieving Safe System Speeds on Urban Arterial Roads: Compendium of Good Practice’ (ST1768), presents information and treatments to address speed at intersections and midblock locations. Further information is available from Austroads.
Safe Vehicles
Anti-lock Brake Systems (ABS) for heavy vehicles
New Australian Design Rules 35/04 and 38/04 mandating ABS for new heavy vehicles came into force in January 2015. They also set requirements for commercial vehicles to have systems in place that support the further uptake of advanced braking systems such as Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB, low-speed)
The Commonwealth (in conjunction with ANCAP) has provided funding for a study examining the effectiveness of low-speed Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), commissioned by a working group of the European New Car Assessment Programme (EuroNCAP).
Brake Assist Systems (BAS) for passenger and light commercial vehicles
New requirements introduced by Australian Design Rules 31/03 and 35/05 mandating brake assist systems for new light passenger vehicles and light commercial vehicles came into force in November 2015.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) for light commercial vehicles
New requirements introduced by Australian Design Rules 31/03 and 35/05 mandating ESC for new light commercial vehicles came into force in November 2015.
Heavy vehicle roadworthiness
The National Transport Commission and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator undertook a joint program which identified the most effective way Australia can use accreditation schemes, inspections and other mechanisms to improve the roadworthiness of heavy vehicles.
ISOFIX child restraint anchorages
From November 2012, Australian Design Rule 34/02 introduced the option for manufacturers to provide new vehicles with child restraint anchorages of the ISOFIX type and sets safety requirements where this is the case. This in turn cleared the way for Australian and New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS) 1754 to allow for ISOFIX based child restraints in addition to existing child restraints.
Pole side impact occupant protection
In December 2015 the Australian Government announced a new Australian Design Rule (ADR) for pole side impact performance which applies to light passenger vehicles from November 2017 and light commercial vehicles from July 2018.
Power-assisted bicycles (Pedalecs)—definitions
The definitions and vehicle categories adopted for the Australian Design Rules were amended in May 2012 to add an alternative definition of a power-assisted pedal bicycle including new vehicles meeting European Committee for Standardization definitions for electrically power assisted bicycles. These powered alternative vehicles are now defined within the Australian Design Rules as ‘Pedalecs'. Alignment with European definitions is an initial step that facilitates harmonised development of safety-based regulation for these alternative vehicles.
Safer cars for young drivers
The 2013 report: Access to safer vehicle technologies by young drivers: factors affecting motor vehicle choice and effects on crashes, details the findings of research funded by the former National Road Safety Council. The report is available from the Centre for Automotive Safety Research.
The report: Advice and guidance on increasing the purchases and usage of safer cars by young drivers, details the findings of research funded by the former National Road Safety Council and conducted by the Monash University Accident Research Centre. PDF: 408 KB
Seatbelt reminder systems
Australian Design Rule 4/05 introduced a requirement for advanced seatbelt reminder systems to be fitted to the driver's seat in new passenger cars, passenger vans and sports utility vehicles from July 2013.
Streamlining Australian Design Rules (ADRs)
As a member of the peak international forum for developing vehicle standards, the United Nations World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29), Australia has harmonised or is in the process of harmonising the majority of its Australian Design Rules with United Nations (UN) regulations. In February 2012 Australian Design Rule—Harmonisation, was introduced to facilitate the automatic acceptance of the latest version of UN regulations that have been adopted as alternative standards within the Australian Design Rules and have been ‘applied' by Australia under the UN 1958 Agreement.
In line with the Australian Government's priority to reduce red tape, this streamlines the Australian Design Rules and ensures that priority is given to implementing new and amended Australian Design Rules that can deliver the greatest safety benefits.
Safe People
Alcohol interlock programs
The report, Options for Rehabilitation in Interlock Programs, details the results of work conducted by the Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety, commissioned by Austroads.
The report, Options to extend coverage of alcohol interlock programs, details the results of work commissioned by Austroads.
Assessing fitness to drive
Austroads and the National Transport Commission jointly publish and maintain a set of medical standards for licensing of drivers of private and commercial vehicles and clinical management guidelines. Assessing Fitness to drive for commercial and private vehicle drivers is available from Austroads.
Graduated driver licensing
The report, Summary of Literature of the Effective Components of Graduated Driver Licensing Systems, details the results of work commissioned by Austroads.
Following this review, Transport for NSW (on behalf of Austroads) commissioned the development of the Australian Graduated Licensing Scheme Policy Framework. The policy framework is intended to guide jurisdictions to improve their graduated licensing systems to continue to improve the safety benefits, and is available from the NSW Centre for Road Safety.
Graduated licensing systems for motorcycle riders
The report, A Discussion Paper on Elements of Graduated Licensing Systems for Motorcycle Riders, details the results of work commissioned by Austroads.
Older road users
The report Better understanding the safety of older road users identified trends in crashes involving road users aged over 75. Further information is available from Austroads.
Operation AUSTRANS
Operation AUSTRANS was a nationally coordinated policing operation targeting road safety issues in the heavy vehicle transport sector. Further information is available from the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency.
Operation CROSSROADS
Operation CROSSROADS was a nationally coordinated policing operation targeting a range of road safety offences in the Christmas and Easter holiday periods. Further information is available from the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency.
Report of the National Drug Driving Working Group
In October 2018, the Transport and Infrastructure Senior Officials’ Committee released the National Drug Driving Working Group report - Australia’s Second Generational Approach to Roadside Drug Testing. The report considers strategies for future growth and what will guide our future approach to reducing drug driving on Australian roads. The report proposes 11 recommendations for jurisdictions to consider in working towards a national best practice model of roadside drug testing and general deterrence. The report is available here: PDF: 650 KB
Safer driving agreements
The report Provision of advice on safer driving agreements in the Australian context, details the results of research funded by the former National Road Safety Council and conducted by the Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety—Queensland (CARRS-Q) and Transport and Road Safety (TARS) Research. PDF: 584 KB
The authors also prepared a conference paper on the same topic, Safer driving agreements in the Australian context: Can they be effective?
Safety of Disadvantaged Road Users
The report, Safety of Disadvantaged Road Users, provides the findings of an Austroads project (SS1761) investigating the relationship between disadvantage and road casualties. Further information is available from Austroads.
Advancing the Safe System
Development of a model safety management system
The report, Safety Management Systems for Road Agencies, ISO 39001, and the next step towards a safe road transport system, details the results of work undertaken by the ARRB Group, intended to support early adoption of ISO39001, the international standard for road traffic safety management systems. The report will soon be available from Austroads.
Impact of road trauma and measures to improve outcomes
The report, Impact of road trauma and measures to improve outcomes, details the results of a review by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE), evaluating different road safety approaches, both internationally and domestically, and providing a stock take of ways that road safety experts believe deaths and serious injuries on our roads can be reduced. The report is available from BITRE.
National Road Safety Strategy review
The report, Review of the National Road Safety Strategy, details the results of a project commissioned by Austroads to provide substantial input to the review of the Strategy. The report is available from Austroads.
Road crash injuries: cost and prevention
The report, Road crash injuries: cost and prevention, details the results of an in-depth crash investigation study conducted to provide information about the causes and costs of a sample of serious (hospitalised) injury crashes in NSW, commissioned by Austroads.
Road Safety Management Leadership Program
In 2012 the Monash University Accident Research Centre, in partnership with the University of Adelaide's Centre for Automotive Safety Research and the Melbourne Business School launched an innovative Road Safety Management Leadership Program. Funding support to assist in the development of the program was provided by the former National Road Safety Council.