Australian states and territories will begin publishing updated AusRAP star ratings in 2024, with these star ratings to be published for all major arterial roads by 2025.
A recently released strategy by Austroads members, which comprises transport agencies across Australasia, representing all levels of government, outlines 12 targets geared towards a national objective of ensuring at least 80 per cent of travel occurs on roads with a 3-star rating or higher by 2030.
As the custodian of AusRAP, Austroads will take on the responsibility of coordinating the program, including reporting, data analysis and training of road managers.
The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) introduced AusRAP to Australia in 2001 and has touted the benefits of road safety data and road star ratings. Leadership of AusRAP was passed from the AAA to Austroads in 2021.
“With the road toll on the rise nationally, road safety is a shared responsibility, and this is a practical step towards improving transparency of safety standards, which can inform future planning and investment,” said Roads Australia CEO, Ehssan Veiszadeh.
AusRAP star ratings are measured on a scale from 1 to 5 stars and provide an indication of a road’s safety performance, with the level of risk halving with each additional star.
A 5-star rating represents the highest level of safety, while a 1-star rating indicates a higher risk.