New guide aims to lower rates of worker fatalities and injuries on South Australian roads

New Guide Aims to Reduce Road Fatalities and Injuries Among South Australian Workers

South Australia has published a new guide on workplace road safety for employers, with the objective of decreasing the incidence of fatalities and injuries among workers on the State's roads.

Given that vehicle usage remains a primary cause of severe injuries and fatalities in the workplace, the State Government has introduced the new Workplace Road Safety Guide, designed for both employers and employees. This resource provides practical guidance for organisations seeking to strengthen their work health and safety policies around driving-related tasks.

What the Guide Covers

The guide specifies steps that employers and employees can undertake to foster safer transport conditions during work-related activities. It provides a range of tools and resources designed to mitigate risks and emphasise the importance of road safety within workplace policies.

Key elements include:

• Practical checklists for assessing transport-related risks before staff get behind the wheel
• Guidance on developing internal safety policies for work-related travel
• Resources to support employers in building a stronger safety culture across their workforce
• Tools to help identify hazards specific to road use during work duties

Employers play a central role in embedding these policies into daily operations, since consistent application across teams is what ultimately protects workers on the road. Organisations reviewing their existing safety documentation may also benefit from updating relevant workplace agreement policies to reflect current transport safety expectations.

Why Road Safety Matters for Workplaces

Data from Safe Work Australia indicates that out of the 200 worker fatalities recorded nationally in 2023, 75 occurred on the road. This figure underscores why transport safety policies deserve close attention from employers across every industry, particularly construction, manufacturing and healthcare sectors where staff regularly travel between sites.

For a broader view of national trends, see our coverage of Safe Work Australia's latest work-related injuries and fatalities data, which highlights how transport incidents continue to affect worker health outcomes across the country.

Supporting a Safer Community on South Australian Roads

By equipping employers with clear policies and resources, the guide aims to build safer driving habits within the broader community, reducing preventable harm connected to work-related transport. Strengthening these policies also supports employers in meeting their broader duty of care obligations under work health and safety legislation.

South Australia has previously taken action following serious workplace incidents, including cases covered in our reports on a South Australian tribunal issuing $150k in fines after a worker fatality and a worker fatality at a South Australian copper mine. These cases reinforce why robust safety policies, including those addressing transport risks, remain essential across all sectors.

Employers seeking to update or develop tailored policies can explore SafetyCulture's safe work method statement documents to support compliance with current safety standards.

Additional information is available here.