Road safety

If road safety risks are not managed, road crashes can occur and can lead to death or long-term injuries.

A vehicle used for business is considered to be a workplace.

What is the hazard

In NSW, almost 30 per cent of workplace fatalities are a result of road crashes, and around one in four deaths on NSW roads are people driving for work.

Factors to consider in managing road safety risk include:

  • travelling in safer vehicles
  • avoiding driving when tired
  • travelling on the safest route
  • avoiding being distracted
  • not driving while affected by alcohol or drugs
  • travelling at safe speeds
  • taking care around heavy vehicles.

What are the harms

Death or serious injury

Managing road safety risks reduces the risk of your workers (and others) being killed or seriously injured in a road crash.

Insurance premium increase and other costs

Avoiding road crashes also potentially reduces or avoid the costs of:

  • Insurance premiums
  • Vehicle maintenance
  • Fuel consumption
  • Penalty notices.

Must Do’s

Road safety risk can be reduced by eliminating travel through flexible working, such as working from home, or substituting driving through the use of public transport.

Employer responsibilities

  • Develop, implement and maintain a Road Safety Policy for your organisation
  • Purchase and maintain a safe and roadworthy fleet
  • Monitor and supervise work-related travel
  • Ensure workers are competent to travel and are not impaired
  • Schedule work to account for driving within speed limits and managing fatigue
  • Ensure workers are not expected to make or respond to calls when travelling
  • Ensure workers are educated about safe road behaviours and undertake road safety training
  • Review and address all crashes and near misses relating to work-related travel
  • Hold workers accountable for breaches of your Road Safety Policy

Vehicle purchasing/leasing

It is recommended to buy 5 star ANCAP or Used Car Safety Rating with Safe Pick vehicles.

Ensure vehicles have the latest safety features:

  • Seatbelt reminders and pre-tension devices
  • Driver, passenger and side curtain airbags
  • Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
  • Brake Assist Systems (BAS)
  • Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
  • Lane support systems such as Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Keeping Aid and Lane Departure Warning
  • Reverse collision systems such as reversing camera, Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) or parking sensors
  • Ensure maintenance and safety checks are carried out regularly.

Develop a Road Safety Policy

A document for developing a road safety policy is available for download to assist your organisation embed road safety within your workplace. This document is flexible and can be adapted to suit your organisation and help in the development of your organisations road safety policy or to utilise within existing WHS policies.

Engage your workers

Employers need to engage with workers to promote road safety. Using different types of engagement can help start conversations about the importance of remaining safe on our roads. Keeping your message clear and concise, you can engage your workers through:

  • One-on-one meetings with your workers
  • Company newsletters, blogs, emails and intranet content
  • Fact sheets, FAQs and top tips
  • Presentation to a large group of your workers
  • Including road safety at a company-wide staff day
  • Inviting a road safety ambassador to give a talk at a staff function
  • Structured training or induction program
  • Making a video showcasing your road safety progress
  • Introduction of a ‘safe driver rewards program’ to incentivise your workers to drive safely
  • Short toolbox talks (10 to 20 minutes) to discuss one road safety topic at a time
  • Have a BBQ and incorporate a toolbox talk discussion

Through developing a Road Safety Policy you can also:

  • Motivate your workers and demonstrate that your organisation values their safety
  • Minimise lost working days and LTIs due to worker injuries
  • Promote your workplace as a safe place to work
  • Create a competitive advantage (stand above the others)
  • Be seen as socially responsible by fulfilling your Corporate Social Responsibility role.
Embedding a positive road safety culture in your workplace webinar

This webinar includes a panel discussion on employer’s responsibilities as part of the Work Health and Safety Act, behavioural factors faced by workers and industry examples of implementing effective road safety policies in the workplace.

Further information

Further information can be found by visiting Transport for NSW’s road safety website

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