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Federal Office of Road Safety

FORS

1974 – 1 July 1999

Road safety office within the Commonwealth transport department that set national safety standards for new vehicles (the Australian Design Rules), compiled national road crash statistics, and ran road safety research and public education.

How it came into existence

Set up within the Department of Transport in the mid-1970s, probably in 1974, as the Office of Road Safety, bringing together the department's road safety and vehicle safety standards work; by the 1980s it was styled the Federal Office of Road Safety.

  • Split from Department of Transport · 1974
    • Road safety
    • Vehicle safety standards

    Start year and exact date of establishment not confirmed.

Changes during its life

  1. 1989The Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 gave the Commonwealth direct responsibility for safety standards for new vehicles supplied to the Australian market, which the office administered.
  • Part split off to form Road Safety and Standards Authority · 1 May 1975
    • Road safety advice
    • Motor vehicle and highway safety standards

    The Office of Road Safety in the Department of Transport, which continued and took the role back in 1976.

How it ended

On 1 July 1999 its road safety research, statistics and education functions were merged with the Bureau of Air Safety Investigation and the Marine Incident Investigation Unit to form the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, while vehicle safety standards stayed in the Department of Transport and Regional Services.

  • Merged into Australian Transport Safety Bureau · 1 July 1999
    • Road safety research
    • Road crash statistics
    • Road safety education

    Only the road safety functions came across; vehicle safety standards stayed in the department.

  • Functions transferred to Department of Transport and Regional Services · 1 July 1999
    • Vehicle safety standards (Australian Design Rules)
    • Administration of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989

Main functions

  • Australian Design Rules for new motor vehicles
  • Administration of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989
  • National road crash statistics
  • Road safety research
  • Road safety public education campaigns
  • Commonwealth road safety policy advice

Where it sits

Last in the portfolio of Department of Transport and Regional Services.

Lineage

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Sources

Some dates or links for this organisation are uncertain. Corrections are welcome.