A new national road safety campaign ‘don’t let a car change who you are’, funded by the Albanese Government, has launched across Australia today.
Driver behaviour is critical to improving safety on our roads and the campaign message of “Safer driving starts with you” encourages drivers to think about their own behaviour behind the wheel and reinforces the importance of driving safely.
The campaign reminds drivers that behaviour that is not considered extreme, like tailgating, speeding and mobile phone use while driving, all contribute to motor vehicle accidents and deaths on the road.
Improving road safety and achieving zero road deaths and serious injuries by 2050 is a collective effort. That’s why this campaign is designed to build on the efforts of states, territories and local governments and encourage drivers to do their part in keeping our roads safe.
Road safety is always a priority and that is why the Albanese Government has been increasing funding for local roads since 2022 and acted on long-standing calls for better safety data.
We have moved to double funding for Roads to Recovery to $1 billion a year and since then over 2000 projects have been approved, 1390 will have started by the end of December and more than 690 are due to be completed by the end of this year.
That means more potholes are being fixed, more kerbs are being replaced, more roads are being resealed, and more grading and drainage is being done.
We are also increasing the Black Spot program to $150 million per year, and revising it so more projects are eligible, and at least $200 million per year is under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program.
The $2.9 billion Road Safety Program continues to deliver over 1800 projects, improving the safety of over 1,910 kilometres of Australia’s road network.
We have also reversed the previous Coalition Government decision in 2014 to freeze road maintenance funding for national highways, not only permanently indexing it but also back-paying the amount lost by the freeze.
Through our latest funding agreements with the States and Territories, we are increasing the road safety data collected in order to better inform responses to road trauma and the concerning increase in road deaths.
The Albanese Government will continue to prioritise road safety and hope that at this time of year, everyone will do their part by driving responsibly to ensure that everyone can enjoy time with family and friends.
The campaign and an executive summary of the research that informed it can be found at saferdrivingstartswithyou.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
“Every driver has a responsibility to ensure their own safety and the safety of others on our roads.
“I urge anyone behind a wheel these holidays to reflect on their driving behaviour, and make changes to contribute to road safety.
“My Government is committed to investing in fixing local roads and will continue to make road safety a priority.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King
“We want families and friends gathered around dinner tables or picnics these holidays, not worried about loved ones on the road.
“That’s why the Albanese Government has increased investment in fixing roads because each dollar spent on a road is a dollar spent on road safety.
“We can each invest in our own safety by driving carefully, making the difference between getting to where we want to go safely or not getting there at all.”
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Regional Development Anthony Chisholm
“Any death on our roads is one too many, but unfortunately, we’ve seen an increase in deaths on our roads over the last 12 months.
“Our road safety campaign and the Albanese Government’s record investments show we’re committed to improving safety on our roads, but solving this challenge is a collective responsibility where we all play an important role.
“We’re all committed to reducing road trauma by investing in safer infrastructure and prioritising the collaboration between governments, industry, and experts, as we work towards keeping Australians safe on our roads."