In 2023, 295 people were killed on our roads – the highest number of lives lost in 15 years. Thousands more suffered serious and life-changing injuries.
Road trauma doesn’t discriminate.
On Victorian roads:
- Every week around five people lose their life.
- Every day 15 people are hospitalised.
- Every week two people suffer severe brain injury.
- Every 18 days someone suffers a serious spinal injury.
Pressures on the network
In 1970, Victoria was the first jurisdiction to make wearing a seatbelt compulsory for all vehicle occupants. While we’ve come a long way since then, ending road trauma remains a significant challenge.
A growing population and changes to how we live, work and play influence how we use our roads and how long we spend on them. Other factors, including
the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid technological change, and the scale of the network mean we need to be responsive and strategic in our approach to improving road safety.
Population growth and change
Victoria’s population is expected to reach around eight million by 2030 and 10 million by 2050.
The Victorian Government is planning to develop and grow new and existing precincts, activity centres and neighbourhoods across the state. This involves expanding and upgrading the road and public transport networks, new housing projects, and encouraging development beyond our cities and regional towns.
This results in more people using the network and changes expectations of how our roads should operate.
As Victorians age and younger people seek independence, they may use active, micromobility and public transport options, increasing the number
of vulnerable users on the road network.
Scale of the regional network
At over 200,000 kilometres, the Victorian road network is large and spread out with many different road types. The Victorian Government manages 23,000 kilometres of freeways and arterial roads, with other roads, tracks and trails managed by local government or private freeway operators.
Road users on the regional network travel regularly across longer distances and at higher speeds.
Legacy of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The impact of COVID-19 has changed how we use the road network.
These changes include:
- Fewer people commuting full time.
- People making shorter trips and moving more around their local area.
- Greater use of food and other delivery services.
- More people choosing active transport options including bicycles, e-scooters and e-bikes.
Technological influences on vehicles
Advances in technology inform our expectations about how vehicles perform, as well as how the
network can support technological change. This includes safety capabilities both inside and outside the vehicle.
Recent technological advancements that require our consideration include:
- The growth of micromobility (like e-scooters and e-bikes). These are relatively inexpensive options that meet changed commuting and travel patterns, but their use results in a different type of vulnerable road user being on the network.
- Improvements to in-vehicle safety features, for example, the vehicle automatically responding to potential safety risks. While these features can improve safety, they are not a reason for drivers, riders and other road users to become complacent.
- A significant increase in the presence of larger vehicles on our roads, due to the growth in freight activity. While technological innovation has improved the safety features on these vehicles, their presence can increase the risk to other road users.
- Automated and connected vehicle technologies. These technologies present significant opportunities, but appropriate rules, regulations and conditions will be required so they can safely operate alongside older vehicles on the network, and to ensure other road users know how to interact with these vehicles.
- The increasing connectivity between our smartphones and other devices, to our vehicles and helmets, can increase driver distraction, and the risk of crashes for vehicle occupants and other road users.
Our behaviour plays a part
While most people use the road those who choose to engage in unsafe behaviours place both themselves and others at risk.
We have seen increased experiences of risk-taking behaviour and more people driving tired or distracted.
Compliance, enforcement, campaigns and education are important ways to remind us to do the right thing on our roads and to discourage those who may choose unsafe behaviours.
We’ll focus on the following:
- Distracted driving, including focusing on a mobile phone, device or navigation tool, operating the radio, talking to someone on the phone or interacting with a passenger can result in a momentary lapse in concentration and end in a crash.
- Speeding directly influences the risk of a crash, the time it takes to stop and the impact when a crash does happen. Driving just a little over the speed limit can lead to catastrophic outcomes.
- Driving while impaired, which includes the deliberate choice to get behind the wheel while affected by alcohol and other drugs, and also driving while fatigued, which impacts a driver’s ability to concentrate and react to situations on the road.
- Seatbelt use, the benefits of which have proven time and time again over the last 50 years to save lives in crashes.
The road is there to be shared. Deliberate risk- taking is unfair to all road users.
Understanding behaviour on our roads
The TAC Road Safety Monitor is used to track and monitor road user behaviour and attitudes.
A number of respondents (10 per cent) said they drove while they might have been over the legal blood alcohol concentration limit, with three per cent driving while over the limit. Four per cent of respondents travelled as a passenger while not wearing a seatbelt, while three per cent didn’t wear a seatbelt as the driver. One per cent of respondents admitted to driving after using illegal drugs.
The Road Safety Monitor gives us valuable insights that inform our continued efforts to instil a culture of road safety among Victorians.
Safety within the network
Roads and roadways also need to support safe movement, minimise risk and reduce the potential for tragic outcomes.
It’s not just people’s behaviour on the network that influences crash risks. Roads and roadways need to support safe movement, minimise risk and reduce the potential for tragic outcomes.
Given the scale of the Victorian road network, it is important to target our efforts to where they are most impactful. Key considerations that have informed the initiatives in this Action Plan are outlined here.
Roads and roadside safety
Risks differ between different types of roads. It makes a difference if a road is a single or dual carriageway, if there’s physical barriers between lanes or at the side of the road, or if a road has line markings.
On the road, the width of lanes, presence of shoulders and whether rumble strips are present influence the safety of a road. Curves and bends can also restrict visibility, which increases risk.
Roadside hazards that can increase risk include poles, trees and steep roadside environments, or where roads are unsealed and roadsides undefined.
Features that can improve safety include median and roadside barriers, walking and cycling paths, and crossing facilities, signs and line markings and appropriate speed zones.
Land use and environment
The Movement and Place in Victoria framework informs how we think about the context and purpose of roads within particular environments, including who is using these roads and how, which in turn informs our approach to safety on different types of roads.
For example, roads intended for the efficient movement of goods and people between key locations and predominantly used by vehicles require different treatments than shopping strips with extensive pedestrian movement.
In another example, as semi-rural or industrial areas are urbanised, the safety needs of the roads change, requiring adjustments to infrastructure and speed regulation.
Interface with vulnerable and unprotected road users
Road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists, scooter and e-bike riders, people using mobility aids, and motorcyclists, are more vulnerable than those protected by a vehicle.
Separating vulnerable road users from vehicles is preferable, but it’s not always practical or possible, which is why other safety treatments may be needed.
Speed settings
The speed a vehicle is moving informs the likelihood of a crash happening and the severity of outcomes.
Managing speed isn’t just about setting speed limits. Traffic calming (for example, speed humps) is effective in lowering speeds in places such as, shopping strips or other locations where people interact with traffic. Infrastructure such as barriers on freeways can reduce the risk and severity of crashes in higher speed environments. Speed management is also supported by compliance and enforcement measures through road safety cameras and police presence.
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