Wednesday, 22 July 2026
Road authorities, local governments and road safety practitioners will be better equipped to plan safer speeds and strengthen road safety leadership through updates to two key parts of the Austroads Guide to Road Safety.
New editions of the Guide to Road Safety Part 3: Safe Speed Management (AGRS03-26) and the Guide to Road Safety Part 7: Road Safety Strategy and Management (AGRS07-26) translate the latest evidence into practical guidance that supports better decision-making, stronger governance and improved road safety outcomes across Australia and New Zealand.
Austroads’ Road Safety and Design Program Manager Michael Nieuwesteeg said the updates respond to a growing need for guidance that supports implementation as well as policy development.
“Road agencies are increasingly looking for practical ways to apply Safe System principles across planning, policy, infrastructure, speed management and organisational decision-making,” Michael said.
“These resources help practitioners apply evidence with confidence, enabling more consistent approaches to managing road safety and delivering effective action that reduces road trauma.”
The update to Part 3: Safe Speed Management strengthens guidance on identifying safe speed limits and applying Safe System and Movement and Place principles across different road environments. It provides frameworks to support decision-making, implementation and evaluation, with greater emphasis on the role of data, stakeholder engagement, communications and change management in achieving successful outcomes.
The update to Part 7: Road Safety Strategy and Management expands guidance for agencies responsible for leading, coordinating and delivering road safety initiatives. A new section on Road Safety Management focuses on the leadership, governance and institutional arrangements that underpin effective performance, helping senior executives, road safety leaders, delivery partners and elected decision-makers build capability, foster collaboration, clarify accountability, and support continuous improvement.
Together, the revised publications promote a more coordinated approach to road safety management across Australia and New Zealand, helping organisations embed Safe System thinking into both strategy and day-to-day practice.
These updates were developed following a comprehensive Austroads review of speed management evidence, practitioner experience and implementation challenges across Australia and New Zealand. The review identified opportunities to strengthen existing guidance and provide greater support for agencies responsible for delivering speed management initiatives. The findings and recommendations from this work are documented in AP-T385-25 Review of Speed Management Evidence and Guidance.
To help practitioners understand and apply the changes, Austroads will host two webinars:
- 20 August 2026, 1 PM AEST | Guide to Road Safety Part 3: Safe Speed Management
- 31 August 2026, 1 PM AEST | Guide to Road Safety Part 7: Road Safety Strategy and Management
Download Guide to Road Safety Part 3: Safe Speed Management (AGRS03-26)
Download Guide to Road Safety Part 7: Road Safety Strategy and Management (AGRS07-26)
Download supporting report AP-T385-25 Review of Speed Management Evidence and Guidance