Road safety is one of SAPOL's core functions. Our goal is to increase the safety of all road users by dramatically reducing death and injury on South Australian roads.

Our Road Safety Strategy details how we will contribute to achieving the targets set by the Government of South Australia and the National Road Safety Strategy.

South Australia Police Road Safety Strategy 2006-2010

Police, as one of the agencies responsible for road safety, should and will, take the lead in helping to set community standards. We will work with the community to raise the standard of behaviour expected, to be clear and unequivocal about these standards and to educate road users about what is acceptable behaviour.

For those who are not prepared to act responsibly, police will enforce the law and seek legislation to ensure appropriate standards are set.

SAPOL's strategy is designed to focus police resources in the areas that will obtain the best results. There are specific measures to significantly raise visibility and presence in country areas and increase opportunities for enforcement.

South Australia Police Road Safety Strategy 2006-2010  PDF (2.5MB)

SAPOL's Steps to Safer Road Users

 The SAPOL Road Safety Strategy identifies five key areas of activity:

1. Detection and Deterrence

These strategies aim to increase the level of enforcement, to reduce inappropriate driving behaviour and increase the likelihood of detection. They require all police to take action at every opportunity to reinforce the message that they will adopt a lower tolerance of poor driving.

This will be achieved by:

• Targeted operations and increased police visibility
• Enhanced deployment of specialist traffic resources
• More effective breath testing, the introduction of drug testing and the use of other technology to increase our capacity to detect traffic offenders
• Increased accountability from all police officers for results that are based on the Road Safety Strategy.

2. Investigation

SAPOL will strive for continuous improvement in the investigation of road crashes involving fatalities and serious injuries in order to better understand the causes of such crashes and increase the accountability of road users. Strategies to achieve this include:

• Developing consistent policies and procedures for these investigations
• Ensure investigations are conducted in a manner consistent with accepted criminal investigation processes and practices
• Linking investigations to the reduction of fatalities and casualty crashes
• Use of media to raise community awareness of the consequences of high risk behaviour
• Seeking legislative reform that would improve road safety and investigative outcomes.

3. Community Support

It is essential that we work with communities to identify and implement innovative road safety strategies and to create an attitudinal change so that dangerous, reckless, careless and negligent road user behaviours are regarded as unacceptable. SAPOL will:

• Engage with local communities to address road safety issues
• Work closely with other government and non-government agencies to implement consistent and holistic road safety strategies and policies
• Implement an enhanced community complaint system to encourage the reporting of bad driving and other unsafe road use behaviour.

4. Prevention, Education and Early Intervention

We will further develop a whole of community approach to road safety through the promotion of co-ordinated and consistent strategies which focus on prevention, education and early intervention. This will be achieved by:

• Working with school communities and other stakeholders to identify programs that will contribute to road crash reduction
• Developing and implementing protocols which promote a lower tolerance approach to road safety which is educative and modifies driver behaviour
• Enhancing media strategies to highlight the consequences of 'fatal five' behaviours
• Developing more effective road safety strategies in conjunction with other agencies
• Promoting the responsible service of alcohol and supporting effective prevention and intervention programs for alcohol and other drug use.

5. Capacity Building

The capacity of SAPOL and its employees to action the goals of the SAPOL Road Safety Strategy will be increased by providing relevant information and conducting appropriate education and training programs. The acquisition of equipment including new and improved technologies will also aid the formulation of intelligence and enhance detection and deterrence.

Particular strategies to achieve this include:

• Ensuring information and training is provided to all police to engender a lower tolerance approach to high risk driving behaviour
• Pursue new technologies and improve the use of intelligence - ensuring the achievement of the goals and targets of the SAPOL Road Safety Strategy through business plans, Tactical Coordination Groups and Performance Outcome Reviews.
• Ensuring that all SAPOL recognise that road safety is everyone's responsibility.

The National Road Safety Strategy 2001-2010

The National Road Safety Strategy 2001-2010 was adopted by the Australian Transport Council in November 2000 and provides a framework which complements the road safety strategies of State, Territory and local governments.

The target of the strategy is to reduce the annual number of road fatalities per 100,000 of population by 40%, from 9.3 in 1999 to no more than 5.6 in 2010.  It is estimated that achieving this target will save 3,600 lives by 2010 and will reduce the annual road toll by approximately 700.

Under this strategy police officers have a key role in encouraging improved road-user behaviour, combined with education and public information programs.

The National Road Safety Strategy 2001-2010 (external link)

The South Australian Road Safety Strategy 2003-2010 & South Australia's Strategic Plan

South Australia's Strategic Plan and the South Australian Road Safety Strategy both identify the need for a multi-disciplinary approach by various government and non-government entities and a combination of new technology, improved road conditions and safer road users.

Police have a pivotal role to play through education, deterrence and enforcement.

Above all, people must take responsibility for their own safety and the safety of all other road users.

The South Australian Road Safety Strategy 2003- 2010  PDF (600KB)