Since 1970, Australia has made considerable progress in reducing the road toll, largely as
a result of major initiatives - such as compulsory seat belt usage, random breath testing, the
upgrading of road infrastructure and improved vehicle safety.

Road crash fatalities are something we hear about every day from all sectors of the media.
Less talked about are the injured, or the survivors. According to Australian national statistics,
for every death on the roads, a further eleven people are injured badly enough to require
hospital treatment.

If an emergency occurs, the Commonwealth Government, State and Territory Governments, emergency services, local governments, volunteer organisations and communities work together to respond to the emergency, save lives and property, and assist the community to recover. Emergency services such as police, fire, ambulance and state emergency services have specially trained and equipped teams that can deal with a wide variety of emergencies and provide support and medical attention to you and others.

Each State and Territory has its own plans, arrangements and organisations dedicated to dealing with emergencies. The Commonwealth Government assists the States and Territories to enhance their capabilities and also provides extra resources if requested.