People are at the heart of the Safe System approach to road safety. As road users, we have a responsibility to ourselves and others to act safely on and around the road, follow the road rules and drive in a way that suits the conditions. We can prevent crashes and save lives by making safe choices.
Safe people principles aim to improve road user responsibility, compliance and behaviour on and around the road through education and deterrence. Under the Safe People approach, a range of strategies are implemented to modify how road users behave including education, technology, rules, sanctions, and enforcement.
Community education & behavioural programs
We use marketing campaigns and engagement activities to educate communities on unsafe behaviour on our roads. We use research to inform our education and awareness campaigns and behavioural programs.
You can use key messages from our road safety campaigns to help engage with your local community in-person and online on road safety.
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Council officers have a detailed knowledge of their local road networks, traffic management issues and road crash history. They're well placed to plan, implement and deliver road safety projects relevant to their community as they interact regularly with local residents, schools, government agencies, businesses and other stakeholders.
- We partner with local councils to co-fund Road Safety Officer roles and contribute funding for council to develop local Road Safety Action Plans.
- As this program operates locally, councils develop and deliver road user safety projects to address the road trauma needs in their community. Supporting local government to enhance road safety in local communities is a critical part of our 2026 Road Safety Action Plan.
- The program promotes safer road user behaviour under the Safe System approach and has a focus on engagement. The Local Government Road Safety Program (LGRSP) Guidelines provide program objectives and explain the funding process.
Community education
Here are some examples of community education and engagement initiatives as part of the program:
Education on Fatigue
- Snowy Monaro Regional Council gives away free ice scrapers at the Cooma and Bombala Visitor Centre with a focus on educating drivers on the danger of fatigue. To get a free scraper the attendee completes a quiz on fatigue. There is also a wealth of information available at the visitor centres on driving safely in the snow.
- Council Road Safety Officers can find information relating to merchandise in the restricted Community Education section.
Free caravan and towing safety workshops
- Coffs Harbour City Council offers free caravan and towing safety workshops. Information in the workshop is provided by experts to help keep drivers safe on the roads while towing. Drivers learn about safe loads, quick safety checks and road rules.
Along with the Graduated Licensing Scheme, a range of novice driver initiatives help those who face barriers to get a licence and create safer drivers. The Logbook runs and the Helping Learner Drivers Become Safer Drivers workshops Road Safety Officers deliver, are also initiatives that help develop safer drivers.
Enforcement
Effective enforcement is an important part of a Safe System because it deters road users from engaging in risky and illegal behaviours. Enforcing compliance with road rules through effective penalties reduces road trauma.
The NSW Police Force enforces compliance with road rules, legislation and regulations. In some cases, other government officials, such as local council parking rangers and transport commanders, enforce rules.
A number of enforcement initiatives motivate and educate road users to comply with the road rules.