Recent Progress in Implementing the Safe System Approach

Abstract

The Safe System approach has now been adopted by each jurisdiction within Australia, and is likely to be at the core of the new national road safety strategy. Based primarily on the Swedish ‘Vision Zero’, and the Dutch ‘Sustainable Safety’ approaches, the Safe System approach recognises that humans as road users are fallible and will make mistakes. There are also limits to the kinetic energy exchange which humans can tolerate (e.g. during the rapid deceleration associated with a crash) before serious injury or death occurs. A key part of the Safe System approach requires that infrastructure be designed and managed to take account of these errors and vulnerabilities so that road users are able to avoid serious injury or death on the road. Although the Safe System vision is clear within Australia, and there is general agreement about this, the approaches that might be taken to achieve this vision are less obvious. Advice is required regarding infrastructure options for achieving Safe System outcomes; on appropriate speed management strategies; and on ways to maximise the alertness and compliance of road users.