A significant reduction in the number of lives lost and serious injuries on South Australian roads over the next decade is the focus of a new 10-year road safety strategy unveiled last week.
Developed in consultation with communities and key stakeholders across the state, South Australia’s Road Safety Strategy to 2031 sets an ambitious 10-year target to drastically reduce the number of lives lost on our roads, from the current three-year average of 96 per year to fewer than 43 per year by 2031.
The strategy also sets a target to reduce serious injuries on our roads by more than 30% by 2031, from 708 to fewer than 474.
Road Safety Minister Vincent Tarzia said the ambitious targets were the first steps towards achieving zero lives lost on our roads by 2050.
“Too many lives lost and serious injuries are occurring on South Australian roads,” Minister Tarzia said.
“Every life lost and serious injury on our roads is preventable.
“The residual effects of crashes are devastating for the families and loved ones of victims, and for those who support the seriously injured.
“South Australia’s Road Safety Strategy to 2031 sets clear targets to reduce lives lost and serious injuries on our roads as we push towards zero lives lost by 2050.
“This strategy is an important journey we must take with every South Australian and especially those from the regions where most lives lost occur.
“Improving safety on our regional roads is a priority under the new strategy, with the Marshall Government already spending more than $2.8b since 2018, including a $790m commitment in the 2021-22 State Budget for regional road infrastructure projects and works to clear a severe maintenance backlog.”
The strategic focus areas of the strategy are:
• Road user behaviour: Supporting and enforcing safer road user behaviour.
• Vehicles: Increasing the use and purchase of safer vehicles in South Australia.
• Roads: Safer design, construction and maintenance of road infrastructure.
• Regional and remote areas: Reducing the number of lives lost and serious injuries on regional and remote roads.
• Workplaces: Developing a culture of road safety in South Australian workplaces.
• Aboriginal road safety: Reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal people in road crashes.
• Older road users: Greater focus on road users aged 70+.
• Walking, cycling and public transport: Improving safety for people who walk and cycle and increase public transport patronage.
• Young drivers and riders with a focus on those living in regional or remote areas: Reducing the over-representation in road crashes.
