The South Australian Government has signed an agreement with the Centre for Automotive Safety Research (CASR) to extend funding for its road safety research for another five years.

 

Minister for Road Safety Jennifer Rankine said the funding - more than $1 million each year until 2017 - demonstrates the State Government’s ongoing commitment to road safety in South Australia.

 

CASR’s research has been the catalyst for successful road safety initiatives, including the implementation in 2006 of the default 50 km/h urban speed limit, which is credited with preventing five fatalities each year.

 

CASR Director Professor Mary Lydon said the State Government’s ongoing support and confidence was vital in order to build on the expert knowledge and ongoing research that is being undertaken at the centre.

 

CASR was formally established by the South Australian Government in 2002, and has since been invited to collaborate with international organisations from France, Japan, Malaysia and the United States.

 

CASR is also the only research organisation in Australia that attends the scenes of road crashes, in order to collect data. The group has 20 staff members and seven postgraduate research students. CASR is also home to a new purpose-built Vehicle Safety Laboratory – the only facility of its kind in Australia.

 

The Laboratory is the official testing facility for pedestrian impact testing, a major part of the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) crash testing process.

 

Upcoming projects include monitoring young driver travel patters, evaluating the effects of the Graduated Licensing Scheme and monitoring the implementation of the South Australian Road Safety Strategy 2020.

 

For more information about CASR visit www.casr.adelaide.edu.au