Safe people

• Supporting local government to address local road safety challenges is a critical part of the Road Safety Action Plan.
• Council Road Safety 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 behavioural road safety projects relevant to their community as they interact regularly with local residents, schools, government agencies, businesses and other stakeholders.
• Transport partners with local councils to co-fund Road Safety Officer roles and contribute funding for council to develop and deliver local Road Safety Action Plans and strategies.
• As this program operates locally, councils develop and deliver road user safety projects to address local risks and priorities.
• This 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 behavioural initiatives addressing local priorities and risks through community education and engagement initiatives as part of the program:

Education for Heavy Vehicle Operators and Drivers

• Parkes Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils host a suite of initiatives to assist the local heavy vehicle operators and drivers including an annual Heavy Vehicle Breakfast Forum featuring expert presenters and up to date information on key issues, a pre-harvest safety awareness campaign and the promotion of load restraint information through social media and community pop-up activations.

Education on Fatigue

• Snowy Monaro Regional Council offers handy windscreen scrapers at the Cooma and Bombala Visitor Centre with a focus on educating drivers on the danger of fatigue. To get a scraper, the attendee completes a quiz on fatigue designed to test their knowledge and promote fatigue awareness. 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 (RSO log-in required).

Free caravan and towing safety workshops

• With the rising popularity of caravanning and camping, many councils offer free caravan and towing safety workshops for local enthusiasts. Information in the workshops 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 as well as receiving information promoting fatigue awareness.

To support the Graduated Licensing Scheme, a range of novice driver initiatives help those who face barriers to get a licence and create safer drivers. Road Safety Officers deliver Logbook runs and the Helping Learner Drivers Become Safer Drivers workshops, with an online version of the latter now available. The free course includes 5 e-learning modules to help increase the supervisor’s knowledge and confidence so they can help support learner drivers in all stages to become safe drivers.

• NSW Safer Drivers Course
  • This course helps learner drivers younger than 25 to become safer drivers. Councils are encouraged to raise awareness about this initiative among young learner drivers, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and Aboriginal communities. Learner drivers from a disadvantaged background or an Aboriginal community may be eligible to attend a NSW Safer Drivers Course for free. Learner drivers can find the criteria for a free place on our website.

• Driver Licensing Access Program (DLAP)
  • The Driver Licensing Access Program (DLAP) is a free initiative designed to help individuals facing social, economic or geographic barriers overcome the challenges of getting or regaining their driver's licence.
    DLAP offers customised, step-by-step assistance throughout the entire licensing journey, which includes:
    • Pre-Learners: Help with gathering identification, accessing Service NSW, building computer skills and Driver Knowledge Test (DKT) fee exemptions.
    • On-Road Experience: Free professional driving lessons, access to roadworthy vehicles and structured volunteer driver mentoring to help log hours.
    • Testing & Progression: Support in booking and attending driving tests to progress from Learner to Provisional licence.

• NSW Automated Enforcement Strategy for road safety
  • This strategy provides an overarching framework to manage the automated enforcement programs used in NSW.
  • This strategy uses technology to implement more innovative, flexible and sustainable solutions in responding to existing and emerging road trauma issues and risks in NSW. Learn more

• Mobile phone detection cameras
  • Fixed and transportable cameras target drivers who illegally use their mobile phones or fail to properly buckle up their seatbelt while driving on NSW roads. Penalties apply for drivers detected not wearing a seatbelt properly or with a passenger not wearing a seatbelt properly.

• Speed and red-light cameras
  • Camera enforcement is one of the most effective, evidence-based measures in preventing speeding. There are 4 types of speed cameras currently used in NSW. Each are used in different ways to encourage drivers to comply with the speed limit.
    • Fixed speed cameras: detect speeding at specific, high-risk locations.
    • Red-light speed cameras: detect speeding and red-light running at specific signalised intersections.
    • Mobile speed cameras: detect speeding across the road network by moving around various locations at various times, at a scale and network spread to support the perception of ‘anywhere, anytime’ enforcement. 
    • Average speed cameras: detect heavy vehicle speeding between 2 points on specific high volume and/or high-risk routes. From 1 May 2025, a trial commenced in 2 separate average speed camera locations on limited stretches of highway in regional NSW to also enforce light vehicle speeding from 1 July 2025.

• NSW Police Force partnership
  • Transport for NSW partners with the NSW Police Force to deliver coordinated road safety enforcement and supporting initiatives across the state.
  • Transport provides funding, governance, and strategic oversight, while NSW Police lead program delivery and frontline enforcement activity. 
  • Key programs include the Enhanced Enforcement Program (EEP), which increases visible police enforcement above baseline levels, and the Mobile Drug Testing (MDT) Program, which enables large-scale roadside drug testing. 
  • The partnership also provides funding for high-visibility police vehicles, specialised road safety enforcement equipment, and dedicated positions that support program delivery and broader road safety initiatives.  
  • Enforcement activity through the partnership programs is intelligence-led, targeting high-risk behaviours, locations, and peak periods (such as public holidays) to maximise impact. 
  • Overall, the partnership aims to proactively prevent road trauma by increasing enforcement visibility and deterring unsafe driving before it occurs.

• Random Breath Testing (RBT)
  • RBT enforcement by the NSW Police Force has been central to reducing alcohol-related deaths and injuries in NSW since 1982.
  • There is no single dedicated program that exclusively funds and supports RBT delivery. Instead, RBT is embedded within core policing activities, with the NSW Police Force responsible for conducting testing as part of their baseline road safety enforcement.
  • Drivers are subject to random roadside breath tests to screen for alcohol. Where alcohol is detected, a secondary evidentiary Breath Analysis test or, in some cases, a blood sample is required to conclusively determine a driver’s blood alcohol concentration for enforcement purposes.
  • Transport for NSW supports RBT through broader investment mechanisms, particularly the Enhanced Enforcement Program (EEP). While baseline RBT activity is funded and delivered by Police, the EEP provides additional funding to enable expanded testing above routine levels, including:
    • Increased police visibility, roadside operations and testing volumes.
    • Enhanced enforcement during high-risk periods such as public holidays (e.g Christmas, New Year, Easter, Anzac Day etc).
  • The RBT approach is grounded in well-established behavioural principles, with a strong focus on high visibility and random enforcement to deter drink driving. By increasing the perceived likelihood of detection, RBT plays a critical role in preventing alcohol-related harm and improving road safety outcomes.

• Mobile Drug Testing (MDT)
  • The Mobile Drug Testing (MDT) Program is a key enforcement initiative to improve road safety in New South Wales by reducing drug driving. It is governed by Transport for NSW and delivered in partnership with the NSW Police Force and NSW Health’s Forensic and Analytical Science Service (FASS).
  • The program is funded through the Community Road Safety Fund, with funding primarily used to support the purchase of consumables required to conduct roadside drug testing. This funding does not cover the operational costs of police officers undertaking enforcement activities.
  • Under the program, Police conduct roadside drug tests (RDTs) to detect recent use of four common illicit substances: methamphetamine, cannabis, cocaine, and MDMA. Positive roadside results are then confirmed through laboratory analysis by NSW Health (FASS), enabling Police to proceed with drug driving charges where appropriate.
  • The MDT Program is grounded in evidence-based behavioural principles, focusing on increasing the visibility and frequency of roadside testing. Its primary objective is to deter drug driving before it occurs, helping prevent road trauma and contributing to a safer road network.

Offender programs

• Alcohol Interlock Program
  • The Alcohol Interlock Program is a court-ordered requirement for some drink driving offenders. The aim of the program is to reduce drink driving recidivism, reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes, and assist participants to separate their drinking from their driving. The program does this by keeping offenders in the licensing system on a closely monitored basis, with the interlock physically preventing drink driving.
  • If a driver is ordered by the Court to participate in the program, they will receive a period of driver licence disqualification and be required to have an alcohol interlock device installed in their vehicle for a minimum of 12 months.
  • Interlocks are electronic breath testing devices linked to the ignition system of cars, motorcycles and heavy vehicles. Drivers must provide a breath sample that the interlock analyses for the presence of alcohol. It prevents the vehicle from starting if alcohol is detected.
  • Process evaluation of the Mandatory Alcohol Interlock Program: Summary report

• Traffic Offender Intervention Program
  • This program provides traffic offenders with the information and skills they need to develop positive attitudes towards driving and to adopt safer driving behaviours. Most participants are referred by a NSW Local Court judge, or by their legal counsel. A smaller proportion are required to attend following loss of demerit points under the Increased Traffic Offender Penalties program.
    
    
• Sober Driver Program
  • This program aims to change the attitudes and behaviours of high-risk and repeat drink driving offenders to reduce their likelihood of offending.
  • Drink drivers who are exempted from the Mandatory Alcohol Interlock Program must complete this program before they can get their licence back. 
  • Sober Driver Program can be completed online, in nine, 2-hour sessions.
  • More information can be found on our website.