AusRAP to help selected LGAs trial fit-for-purpose tools for risk-based road safety investment planning

Abstract

In 2023, 1,269 Australians died as a result of road crashes. Around 40,000 were seriously injured in the same year. We are not talking about just cuts and bruises. These include injuries so severe, some people may never walk, work or hug their families again. The cost of road trauma in Australia is estimated to be over $30 billion annually. Just under 50% of all fatalities occur on roads controlled by local governments. The Infrastructure Planning and Investment objective of the National Road Safety Action Plan 2023-25, is for Governments to focus on designing a Safe System that is future focused. A key safety performance indicator for success in this action is increased share of state, territory and local governments with a fit-for-purpose road safety risk assessment and plan to improve the safety of its road network. About AusRAP The Australian Road Assessment Program (AusRAP) is being used by all Australian state and territory road authorities to proactively and systematically identify road safety hazards and risks and to design treatment plans that can reduce those risks. AusRAP is managed and coordinated nationally by Austroads. The AusRAP process involves collecting and coding road attributes, including information about the road asset, roadside formation and hazards, and traffic data. More than 70 individual road attributes and road user data points are analysed to determine the inherent safety of the road. Results are calculated for different road user groups: • vehicle occupants • motorcyclists • bicyclists • pedestrians. AusRAP results include Star Ratings and Crash Risk Maps, as well as developing prioritised treatment options that will make the road safer for the different road users. AusRAP is a useful and effective system for developing road safety treatment plans, however it can be costly to undertake a full risk assessment and often requires expert users to manage different parts of the process. Other Road Safety Investment Tools A range of tools are already in use by local governments across Australia, including LGStars, NETRISK2, and Austroads’ Infrastructure Risk Rating Tool. A current project for the Commonwealth Office of Road Safety being delivered by Abley Ltd, will provide options for different frameworks which the Australian and state/territory governments, and/or local government associations can use to support local governments develop risk assessments for their roads. Discussion This paper will discuss Austroads and AusRAP’s role in supporting local governments to embed risk assessments into road safety investment planning and to help grow road safety management capacity. Austroads will work with the Australian Local Government Association to pilot fit for purpose tools in several LGAs during 2025, with the aim for road safety risk assessments to become a key part of local government infrastructure investment planning.