The safety of our community while travelling on NSW roads is a top priority for TfNSW. We use the Safe System approach to achieve the goal of zero deaths and serious injuries on NSW roads. This approach has four elements:

• safe people
• safe roads
• safe speeds
• safe vehicles. 

It recognises that people will always make mistakes and may have road crashes, but the system should be forgiving, so those crashes will not result in death or serious injury.

Adopting the Safe System approach in network planning can reduce the exposure to crash risk, the likelihood of a crash occurring, and the severity of a crash should one occur. As the Safe System approach focuses on better safety outcomes for vulnerable road users, a network that is designed with this approach will also benefit from better provisions for people walking and cycling. This supports other desirable outcomes, such as reduced carbon emissions in line with the TfNSW Transport Environment and Sustainability Policy.