Australian Indigenous road safety: 2005 update

Abstract

In actioning one of the recommendations to come out of the 2004 indigenous Road Safety Forum and Working Group, the ATSB commissioned ARRB Group to update the indigenous Road Safety Scoping Study that they had completed in 2003. The literature review and consultation process was revisited in an attempt to identify the current state of indigenous road safety in Australia. The data analysis was not revisited although the results of the original analyses are presented within this report.
The literature review identified data sources and limitations, such as difficulties defining ‘indigenous status’ and estimating base populations. Secondly, the review highlighted indigenous road safety trends in Australia, focusing specifically on known risk factors. Initiatives that have been, or are currently being, undertaken to address indigenous road safety issues (including community development, licensing, alcohol, restraint wearing, and vehicle purchasing) were identified during the consultation process.
Eleven recommendations for future research and priority areas for indigenous road safety in
Australia were derived from the literature review and consultation processes.