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Department of Transport and Main Roads

Road safety strategic approach

Queensland's approach to road safety is based on the internationally recognised ‘Safe System’ model. This involves investing in safe infrastructure, supporting safe vehicles, travelling at safe speeds, and ensuring safe road user behaviour.

The Safe System is a best practice approach designed to put downward pressure on road trauma across the network and was adopted in Queensland in 2015. The Safe System framework is the foundation of the National Road Safety Strategy and underpins road transport policies across every jurisdiction in Australia.

Circular road-safety diagram presents a framework for preventing crash deaths and limiting human tolerance of crash impacts. Burgundy center, beige four-part ring, and outer gray ring organize priorities: safe roads and roadsides, safe speeds, safe vehicles, safe road users, plus education, innovation, monitoring, research, enforcement, and licensing.
Figure 1. Safe System model

The Queensland Model for Road Safety is a supporting framework that was developed to guide the application of systems-thinking to our Safe System approach. Systems-thinking broadens our consideration to include societal factors that influence road safety and stakeholders that sit outside the traditional transport sector.

The framework is organised into two halves: Movement and Place, representing system factors, and Health and Behaviour, representing human factors. The sides are not intended to be discrete, rather they exert influence on each other.

A circular diagram showing four pathways—Roads and Roadsides, Places and Spaces, Individuals, and Communities—inside a central hub labeled Movement and place at the top and Health and behaviour on the bottom of the outer circle.
Figure 2. Queensland Model for Road Safety

Four pathways have been identified with key priority areas and connected by a central hub of Partnerships, Research and Data, Technology and Investment.

Roads and Roadsides pathway priorities

  • Deliver consistent, benchmarked safety standards that embrace innovation to strengthen and expand Queensland’ road network, ensuring every dollar of public investment delivers maximum value.
  • Deliver investment in safer infrastructure and innovative treatments across the networks, to secure critical road links that benefit communities and businesses across regional towns.
  • Manage the operation of the network to keep all Queenslanders safe, with a strong focus on reliability, resilience to protect lives on our roads.

Places and Spaces pathway priorities

  • Reduce risks for vulnerable road users and people who work on or around the road network by strengthening safety measures for vehicles as workplaces and protecting those who rely on the road network for their jobs.
  • Engage openly with communities and listen to stakeholders on speed management, ensuring speed limits align with road conditions, surrounding environments, and safety outcomes.
  • Embrace place-based planning that prioritises purpose, connectivity and community needs, supported by infrastructure that enable future growth.

Individuals pathway priorities

  • Increase support for targeted programs that improve physical health, fatigue, mental wellbeing, and state of mind for road users, and embed this understanding into changing road safety awareness and culture.
  • Deliver lifelong road safety education that equips people with the skills and knowledge to make positive choices and act responsibly on and around the road.
  • Champion a cultural shift towards empathy, respect, and shared responsibility, fostering a road environment where all Queenslanders feel safe and listened to.

Communities pathway priorities

  • Empower local communities to lead tailored initiatives that strengthen health, wellbeing, and resilience, ensuring solutions reflect local priorities and aspirations.
  • Foster strong cross-agency partnerships to deliver integrated services and improve outcomes for communities across Queensland.
  • Deliver targeted essential services to identify and respond to the needs of at-risk groups to provide opportunities that enable healthier and safer lives for all Queenslanders.

Core values

Our approach to road safety is guided by the following core values:

  1. Keeping Queenslanders safe requires a holistic approach.
  2. Road trauma is a preventable public health issue that is influenced by broader social trends and issues.
  3. Improving road safety is a shared responsibility that requires collaborative action and leadership across government and the broader community.
  4. The diversity of Queensland communities requires localised, fit-for-purpose solutions that target unique issues and concerns.

Previous strategic documents

The following strategic documents are expired and have been archived here for research purposes.

Last updated
23 October 2026