An approach to improve safety performance for work related road traffic by applying an occupational health and safety (OHS) framework

Journal article, 2026

In 2023, about 1.19 million road users were killed according to the WHO, and theAcademic Expert Group (AEG) estimates that approximately one-third of these deathswere work-related. This paper emphasizes that employers are bound to occupationalhealth and safety (OHS) standards while using public roads and should ensure thesame attention to traffic injury prevention as in other workplaces. Using analysis ofcurrentpractices,thispaperexplorestheinterplaybetweenroadtrafficrulesandOHSregulations. Work-related driving requires compliance with both road rules and OHSobligations. Organizations often violate road rules, undermining OHS principles thatdemandthatemployerstakeeveryreasonablesteptomaximizesafetythroughtheuseof effective and evidence-based safety measures. This means that work-related trafficshouldexceedtheminimumsafetyrequirementsencodedinroadrules,andmaximizesafety through the use of the best available methods. Research shows that severalkey road safety prevention strategies have demonstrated positive effects, allowingfor effective implementation of OHS laws. This paper proposes a 5-point assessmentof organizational safety compliance and rigorous safety management based on well-established key safety factors.