Transport officials and Austroads emphasize that publicly sharing safety data is crucial for tracking progress, identifying areas for improvement, and supporting data-driven decision-making, aligning with Australia's 2021 National Road Safety Strategy aiming for 80% of trips on roads rated three stars or higher by 2030.

Over 71,000 km of major roads in the covered states have been rated with five-star safety, based on traffic and crash data, representing 128 billion kilometers traveled, with ongoing efforts to improve safety standards.

Despite increased data collection over the past five years, the process remains costly for state governments, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive and consistent data for making informed investment decisions.

The Australian Road Evaluation Program, led by Austroads, has launched the National Dashboard to display safety star ratings for major roads, allowing drivers to check safety scores before traveling.

The launch of the new National AusRAP Dashboard coincides with ongoing debates about road user charges and a rise in Australia's road toll in 2025, which reached 1,340 deaths as of July, including an increase in pedestrian fatalities.

The dashboard currently covers roads in NSW, Victoria, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory, with plans to expand to South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania, providing detailed data on traffic estimates, fatalities, and serious injuries.

It offers comprehensive safety metrics such as star ratings based on kilometers traveled, crash history, and survey data, complemented by user guides, explanatory videos, case studies, and links to tools for assessing unevaluated roads.

Greg Smith of iRAP praised the dashboard as a global benchmark that demonstrates the value of the iRAP methodology in engaging communities, guiding policy, and informing investments.

Future updates will include data on crashes involving pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, as well as more detailed information to address vulnerable road users, amid a 2.9% rise in road fatalities this year.

The development of the tool followed three years of data collection and analysis by Austroads, aiming to inform future upgrades and increase transparency in road safety.

Current data shows approximately 73% of trips occur on roads rated three stars or higher, with about 53% of the road network meeting this standard, reflecting ongoing safety improvements.

Roads are rated based on physical characteristics, roadside hazards, safety features, traffic flow, and speed, with examples ranging from Western Australia's one-star Marble Bar Road to Sydney's five-star Westlink M7.