Road safety gets $2.2b federal boost

Programs to fix road black spots, improve regional routes and work on truck safety will be funded in the federal budget to cut the high rate of road fatalities.

Cars drive on the Eastern Freeway.

The PM has promised to fix roads under a $2.2 billion plan to keep "Australians safe." (AAP)

The Morrison government is promising to fix notorious road black spots and regional roads to improve safety under a $2.2 billion plan to be outlined in the federal budget next week.

"Keeping Australians safe is my government's number one priority," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday.

"The truth is fatal road accidents are far too common."

More than 1000 people died on Australian roads last year.

The budget will include:

* An extra $1.1 billion in funding for local governments under the Roads to Recovery program.

* An additional $550 million for the Black Spot Program, which targets known high-risk locations and has been found to reduce serious crashes by 30 per cent on average.

* A further $571.1 million to improve the safety and efficiency of heavy vehicle operations through new initiatives

Part of the plan will also be a federal Office of Road Safety.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the office would work with the states, territories and local government as well as road safety groups to prioritise ways to reduce deaths and injuries.


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Source: AAP



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