The focus of the Strategy is on creating a safe road environment and supporting road users to make safe choices. It aims to:
- ensure all Victorians are safe and feel safe on and around our roads;
- halve road deaths and progressively reduce serious injuries by 2030;
- embed a culture of road safety within the Victorian community; and
- deliver a suite of initiatives that are achievable and have an impact in the short term, but also prepare the State for the future.
The Strategy also acknowledges that road safety is complex, and it takes a collective response across government agencies, our industry partners, and the Victorian community to deliver safer roads.
The six strategic focus areas include:
- supporting and enforcing safer driver behaviour;
- removing unsafe vehicles from our roads;
- vulnerable and unprotected road users;
- increasing safety for those using the road for work or at work;
- improving safety on high-speed roads and at intersections and reducing the underlying risk; and
- recognising the importance of post-crash care.
The Strategy establishes goals to be achieved by 2030 – building on the Safe System principles, the National Road Safety Strategy and previous Victorian road safety strategies.
To find out more, visit vic.gov.au.
"The focus of the strategy is on creating a safe road environment and supporting road users to make safe choices."
The Safe System
The Victorian Government approach to road safety is built around the Safe System Approach.
The Safe System philosophy underpins Victoria’s strategic approach to road safety. It is commonly divided into four core interrelated pillars – safer roads, safer speeds, safer vehicles and safer road users. A fifth pillar, post-crash response, has been identified by the World Health Organisation (2011).
The Safer Motorcycling Grants Program will contribute to improving motorcyclist safety across Victoria through projects that align with the Safe System model.
The Safe System road safety model identifies five factors which need to work together to help ensure no one is killed or seriously injured on our roads. It is important that all the pillars work together to achieve safe system outcomes. All parts of the road system must be strengthened in combination to multiply the protective effects and if one part fails, the others will still protect road users.
Safe Roads and Roadsides
Roads and roadside features play a vital role in reducing crashes and/or the injury outcomes in the event of a crash. Improved road infrastructure can greatly reduce injury outcomes, improving overall road safety by reducing the likelihood and severity of critical and long-term injury.
Safe Road Users
While people will make mistakes at times, safe road use remains an important part of a safe road system. Safe road use includes behaviour, licensing, education, training and personal protective equipment. This can include for example, making safe choices, using an approved helmet and buying the safest vehicle within one’s budget.
Safe Vehicles
Safe vehicles play an important role in reducing road trauma. Vehicles that are designed well with the appropriate safety technologies can either help to prevent a crash or reduce the impact of a crash to help decrease the risk of death and serious injuries.
Post Crash Care
Post-crash care is an important part of a safe road system. In the event of a crash, effective post-crash care, involving emergency, treatment and trauma care and rehabilitation, can help reduce the risk of death and serious injuries.
Safe Speeds
To build a safe road system, speed limits should be set appropriately, guided by the knowledge of the human body’s tolerance to external forces and also ensuring compliance with the set limits. Appropriate speed limit setting and compliance can also enhance the effectiveness of initiatives implemented in the road or vehicle pillars.
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