All jurisdictions around Australia are now feeding their road safety data into a central hub that the Albanese government hopes will help make roads safer.
The new Road Safety Data Hub website went live this week and Transport Minister Catherine King said it will be a valuable resource not only for governments, but all interested in road safety.
“With the finalisation of a new funding agreement between states, territories and the Commonwealth, all jurisdictions have committed to share critical data that will be used to better inform policy decisions and funding allocations under the Road Safety Program,” King said.
“The new funding agreement represents a positive step in cooperation to boost road safety and I thank the states and territories for the shared commitment to addressing road trauma.
“We want people to get home safely after each and every trip, and better data access is a critical part of our commitment to improving the safety of the nation’s transport networks.”
A range of road data, including information about fatalities, hospitalisations, police enforcement and analysis of crash risk will be available.
“A clear picture, underpinned by data, about where best to target road safety funding will save lives and ensure we are investing in the projects that will make the biggest difference,” King said.
The website also integrates links to a number of other road safety government websites and includes a submission form for public feedback.
King said this forms part of the government’s $21 million commitment to ensure the Hub can be used effectively by everyone, including decision makers, and will continue the work of harmonising the important data provided by state and territories.
To view the new Road Safety Data Hub website, which has been developed by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) and Office of Road Safety, visit datahub.roadsafety.gov.au.
The launch of the site comes after a tragic start to the month with a number of fatalities involving truck drivers.
The latest quarterly statistics on heavy vehicle road deaths from BITRE on the new website also make for sobering reading.
During the 12 months ending June 2024, 176 people died in crashes involving heavy trucks, an increase of 5.4 per cent when compared with the previous 12-month period.