A Safer Transport System

Creating a safer transport system involves the purposeful limitation of physical impact on the human body in vehicle crashes through the development of safer vehicles, safer speeds, safer road users, and safer roads and roadsides. In such a forgiving transport system, regular mistakes by road users do not result in serious or fatal injury.

Central, regional and local Government, road police, other organisations and community groups have complementary roles in addressing road trauma across the region.

Safer road users, using safe vehicles, travelling at safe speeds, on safe roads, will reduce the impact and severity of injury to the human body from violent crash forces. Such a road system allows for human error without leading to death or serious injury and the responsibility for reducing risk is shared by users and system providers.

The Three Es

The use of the three Es - enforcement, education and engineering is fundamental to the Auckland Regional Road Safety Plan 2009–2012.

Regional road trauma is largely predictable, and is preventable through a combination of proven and readily available interventions. An estimated $125 million is spent annually in the region to reduce road trauma, through enforcement ($68m), education ($3m), and engineering ($54m). However, there is a significant gap between the estimated social cost of road trauma and Government spending on prevention of road trauma in the region.

Safety engineering, legislation and enforcement provide the greatest cost benefits in reducing road trauma. Education is a key tool for supporting engineering and enforcement initiatives by raising road users’ awareness of road safety issues and encouraging improved behaviour.