Our Mission
Introduction
Road trauma remains one of Australia’s most persistent public-health and social-justice challenges.
Despite decades of investment, more than 1,100 people continue to die on Australian roads each year, with over 8 000 suffering serious injury.
The economic cost is estimated at $30 billion annually, and the human cost – lives lost, families devastated, and communities traumatised – cannot be quantified.
Next Generation Road Safety (NGRS) was established to provide a unifying platform for reform.
Its objective is to transform Australia’s fragmented array of road-safety programmes into a coordinated national movement built on accountability, evidence, and compassion.
NGRS acts as a conduit between governments, insurers, educators, businesses, and communities, ensuring that data, best practice, and human experience inform every decision.
The guiding principle throughout is simple yet profound: every road death is preventable, and prevention depends on shared responsibility.
About NGRS – Our Journey and Purpose
Origins and Inspiration
NGRS was founded by Richard Prowse, whose niece and nephews were killed in the 2008 Mildura road crash.
From that tragedy came a conviction that while many organisations address aspects of road safety, no single entity coordinates their efforts or holds decision-makers accountable.
NGRS emerged to fill that gap – a central communications and coordination platform dedicated to reducing road trauma through systemic change.
Vision
To create a nation where every road user can travel with confidence, safety, and peace of mind; where governments, industries, and communities collaborate transparently to eliminate preventable harm.
Mission
To make Australian roads safer through innovation, education, and accountability by:
- Centralising communication - between federal, state, and local stakeholders.
- Advancing driver education - using modern training technologies.
- Championing evidence-based policy reform - at every level of government.
- Empowering victims and communities - to participate in shaping safer systems.
- Fostering international collaboration - and adapting proven global practices.
Core Objectives
To make Australian roads safer through innovation, education, and accountability by:
- Establish a National Road-Safety Communication Hub to share data, policy outcomes, and best practice.
- Promote lifelong driver learning, integrating advanced simulation, hazard perception, and behavioural training.
- Develop an Accountability Framework that publicly tracks governmental performance and funding outcomes.
- Support the creation of a National Victim-Support Network offering consistent care and advocacy.
- Encourage cross-sector partnerships between insurers, technology providers, and education institutions.
Core Objectives
Australia’s current approach to road safety is fragmented.
Each jurisdiction maintains separate standards for licensing, education, and victim support.
While existing strategies – such as the National Road-Safety Strategy 2021-2030 – set ambitious targets, progress is hindered by inconsistent implementation and limited accountability.
NGRS addresses this gap by functioning as both facilitator and watchdog, ensuring that policies translate into measurable outcomes.
Global Alignment
NGRS aligns its work with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.6, which aims to halve global road deaths and injuries by 2030.
It draws insight from international exemplars such as Sweden’s Vision Zero, Finland’s experiential training model, and the Netherlands’ shared-roads philosophy, adapting these lessons to Australian conditions.