The behaviour of people using our road network is integral to road safety.

The role of community and education programs is through education and involvement for road users of all ages; the active teaching and learning of safe strategies for road use and addressing the continuing challenge of making our roads safer.

Child pedestrians and cyclists are among our most vulnerable road users. They do not have the protection of a rigid vehicle, may be less visible than adults, and are still developing the skills necessary for negotiating complex traffic situations. 

Vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists, scooters and skaters, the elderly and the young – have the right to be safe on the road as well as the responsibility of knowing road rules and being courteous to others.

Initiatives for communities and schools range from early childhood and school based programs (for example Bike Ed) to community road safety group projects and voluntary behaviour change programs. Education aims to influence road users’ decisions and behaviour – no matter what their age - and continues to be a critical element in the State’s approach to reducing fatalities and serious injuries.

Strategies used in community and education programs are based on targeted road safety research with an emphasis on valuing responsible behaviour and empowering individuals to achieve positive road safety outcomes.