Safe Speeds

Why This Pillar Matters

Editors can replace this placeholder with the published overview describing why safe speeds is central to the Safe System approach.

  • How Safe Speeds reduces the likelihood and severity of crashes.
  • Infrastructure, standards and technologies that support safe speeds.
  • Operational and policy levers practitioners can apply.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.

How This Element Shapes Road Safety

Safe Speeds applies across all areas of road safety, helping reduce both the likelihood and severity of crashes through safer road design and infrastructure.

  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for pedestrians.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect pedestrians.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for cyclists.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect cyclists.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for micro-mobility.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect micro-mobility.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for motorcyclists.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect motorcyclists.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for passenger vehicle occupants.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect passenger vehicle occupants.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for heavy vehicle occupants.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect heavy vehicle occupants.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for main roads.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect main roads.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for main streets.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect main streets.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for local streets.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect local streets.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for civic spaces.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect civic spaces.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for treatments.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect treatments.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for run-off-road crashes.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect run-off-road crashes.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for head-on crashes.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect head-on crashes.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for intersection crashes.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect intersection crashes.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for motorcyclist crashes.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect motorcyclist crashes.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for pedestrian crashes.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect pedestrian crashes.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for cyclist crashes.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect cyclist crashes.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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  • How Safe Speeds design choices reduce risk for other crashes.
  • Infrastructure and treatments that protect other crashes.
  • Operational and policy levers that lower crash likelihood and severity.
  • Guidance, standards and further reading for practitioners.
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Charting a Path to Zero

See how Safe Speeds fits into the broader Charting a Path to Zero framework and Vision Zero goals.

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Examples in Practice

Real-world case studies demonstrating safe speeds in action.

Case Study: Rural Head-On and Run-Off-Road Crash Reduction Case Study
Austroads · 22 Apr 2024

Case Study: Rural Head-On and Run-Off-Road Crash Reduction

A corridor program using centreline and edge treatments to cut head-on and run-off-road crashes on high-speed rural main roads.

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Case Study: Urban Intersection Safety Upgrade Program Case Study
Austroads · 11 Feb 2024

Case Study: Urban Intersection Safety Upgrade Program

A metropolitan program upgrading high-risk intersections with raised platforms, signal phasing and treatments to cut intersection crashes.

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Case Study: Inner Melbourne 30 km/h Speed Limit Trial Case Study
Austroads · 18 Jan 2024

Case Study: Inner Melbourne 30 km/h Speed Limit Trial

Evaluation of a 30 km/h speed limit in inner Melbourne streets, covering speed compliance, pedestrian activity, and community response.

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Relevant Resources

Guidance, research and references related to safe speeds.

Project: Applying Safe System Principles to Rural Road Networks Project
Austroads · 1 May 2024

Project: Applying Safe System Principles to Rural Road Networks

Cross-jurisdiction project investigating cost-effective Safe System treatments for high-speed rural roads, with pilot installations in three states.

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Webinar: Applying the Safe System Approach in Practice Webinar
Austroads · 18 Apr 2024

Webinar: Applying the Safe System Approach in Practice

Recorded webinar with Austroads experts discussing practical application of Safe System principles in project design and delivery.

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Webinar: Speed Management - From Strategy to Signs on the Road Webinar
Austroads · 28 Feb 2024

Webinar: Speed Management - From Strategy to Signs on the Road

A deep dive into the end-to-end speed-management process, from strategic targets through to road-section speed limit decisions.

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Guide to Road Safety - Part 3: Speed Limits and Speed Management Guide
Austroads · 8 Feb 2024

Guide to Road Safety - Part 3: Speed Limits and Speed Management

Detailed guidance on setting and reviewing speed limits using Safe System thresholds and the movement and place framework.

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Guide to Road Safety - Executive Summary Publication
Austroads · 1 Nov 2023

Guide to Road Safety - Executive Summary

Summary of the Austroads Guide to Road Safety for senior decision-makers, highlighting key Safe System actions and investment priorities.

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AP-R686-23: Safer Urban Speed Limits - Evidence Review Research Report
Austroads · 30 Jun 2023

AP-R686-23: Safer Urban Speed Limits - Evidence Review

Evidence review of international research on lower urban speed limits (30-40 km/h) and their impact on crash severity and mode choice.

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National Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 Publication
Austroads · 12 May 2021

National Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030

The ten-year Australian strategy for reducing road trauma, built on Safe System principles and aligned with the UN Decade of Action.

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Relevant Tools & Techniques

Practical tools to support safe speeds in your work.

Technique
Austroads

Safe System Assessments

A practical Austroads technique that supports Safe System assessment and decision-making across the road network.

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Tool
Austroads

Safe System Treatment Selection Tool

A practical Austroads tool that supports Safe System assessment and decision-making across the road network.

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Explore Other Elements

Each pillar of the Safe System reinforces the others. Continue exploring.