Communities across NSW are helping shape the state’s next road safety strategy, with extensive public consultation underway to inform the 2031 Road Safety Action Plan.
The plan is being developed at a critical time for road safety in NSW, with 119 people killed on the state’s roads so far this year.
Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said the toll was a reminder that road safety affects entire communities, not just motorists.
“Road safety extends far beyond those who are just behind the wheel,” Aitchison said.
“It encompasses entire communities, on and off the road.”
She said the new action plan needed to reflect the experiences of all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users.
“For this reason, the 2031 Road Safety Action Plan, must reflect every voice,” she said.
Ahead of National Road Safety Week, from Sunday, 17 May to Sunday, 24 May, the Minns Government is urging drivers to slow down, stay alert and avoid driving while impaired or fatigued.
Aitchison said the week was an opportunity to reflect on the consequences of dangerous driving.
“With National Road Safety Week approaching, it is an important reminder that every decision we make behind the wheel has consequences,” she said.
“We have lost 119 lives in 2026 already.”
Since March, the government has consulted communities across metropolitan, regional and rural NSW to help shape the five-year strategy.
The consultation process has involved councils, industry representatives, road safety experts and everyday road users.
A 2031 Road Safety Action Plan Forum on Monday will bring together stakeholders, experts and community representatives as part of the next stage of consultation.
The consultation forms part of the Minns Government’s broader road safety agenda, which includes stronger enforcement, targeted infrastructure investment and reforms aimed at reducing road trauma.
Key initiatives include a record $2.8 billion road safety investment over four years, nearly $46 million for 16 projects under the Towards Zero Safer Roads Program, and the biggest motorcycle safety reforms in almost two decades.
Other measures include expanded school zone flashing lights, road safety campaigns targeting high-risk behaviour, the introduction of AusRAP data mapping and increased use of enforcement cameras.
The government says stronger enforcement measures and camera technology have contributed to a 60 per cent reduction in seatbelt non-compliance offences.
The final 2031 Road Safety Action Plan is expected to be released by the end of 2026 and will outline the NSW Government’s priorities for reducing deaths and serious injuries on the state’s roads over the next five years.
“This week is about remembering those lives lost, supporting those impacted by road trauma, and reminding every road user that we all have a role to play in keeping each other safe,” Aitchison said.
“This next Road Safety Action Plan will help guide how we continue working towards our goal of zero deaths and serious injuries on NSW roads.”
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