Transport Minister Catherine King’s landmark decision to tie crash data and reporting requirements to Federal funding will usher a new era of transparency, accountability and evidence-based decision making.

Using comprehensive sets of crash data will improve how our roads are assessed, prioritised, and ultimately funded.

Queensland’s road toll has been heading in the wrong direction for too long and this reform will save lives.

Alongside improved driver behaviour and safer vehicles, we need to ensure that every dollar of Federal road funding is being spent in the right places and saving lives.

Improving the timeliness, quality, and accessibility of road crash data is an overdue and essential step towards making better decisions about our roads.

Across Australia, there is a need for a common-sense initiative to kick-start our road toll reductions and ensure we are all moving in the right direction towards the 2030 and 2050 targets. Including road safety data reporting requirements as a formal part of the Government’s next five-year road funding arrangements with states and territories stating on 1 July 2024 will deliver that.

RACQ is a member of the AAA which has driven a compelling and focussed campaign over many months: Data Saves Lives.

RACQ thanks the Government for listening to Queensland motorists following Minister Mellish’s decision last month to share Queensland’s data with the Commonwealth.