The Department for infrastructure and transport (DIT) has released its latest road safety Action Plan for the next three years, including strong measures to reduce deaths and serious injuries and target dangerous road behaviour.
The Department said its Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2025 was informed by consultation and feedback from SA’s Road Safety Strategy to 2031 and implements State actions under the National Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2025.
It said that over the past decade South Australia had improved road safety outcomes however 11 lives were lost in January which exceeded the monthly average.
“The Action Plan identifies measures that will contribute to a target of at least a 50 per cent reduction in lives lost and a 30 per cent reduction in serious injuries on South Australian roads by 2031,” the Department said.
“South Australia’s Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2025 adopts the ‘Safe System’ approach to improve roads and encourage the uptake of safer vehicles and safe road user behaviour, particularly on regional roads,” it said.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Joe Szakacs welcomed the Plan saying it was integral to the aim of reducing deaths and serious injuries on South Australian roads.
“The impacts of road trauma are significant for families, friends, workmates, first responders and the community,” Mr Szakacs said.
“The Action Plan provides strong accountability through safety performance indicators and annual reporting to ensure that we are working to reduce deaths and serious injuries resulting from road trauma,” he said.
Chair of the SA Road User Safety Advisory Committee, Jim Plouffe said the Action Plan reflected evidence-based, safe system practices to protect the community.
“No death or serious injury on our roads is acceptable or inevitable, and all South Australians must work together to address the trauma caused by the everyday use of our road network,” Mr Plouffe said.
“The Action Plan is a straightforward, easy-to-understand list of practical actions that will help reduce lives lost and serious injuries on South Australian roads, but it will take all of us thinking about road safety to achieve the ultimate goal of zero lives lost on our roads,” he said.
More information about South Australia’sRoad Safety Action Plan 2023-2025 and theRoad Safety Strategy to 2031, can be accessed at this PS News link.
