RoadWise Recognised

RoadWise Recognised is an initiative designed to encourage, guide and motivate RoadWise Councils’ towards better practice in managing road safety performance on the local road network.

Based on the RoadWise Framework, RoadWise Councils will be awarded Points and Ribbons highlighting their rounded approach to road safety and application of better practice in the planning and delivery of effective interventions and the adoption of a holistic approach to road safety.

RoadWise Recognised also supports continual monitoring and benchmarking and helps facilitate the sharing of knowledge through showcasing of better practice and the road safety achievements of each RoadWise Council. 

The process of capturing local action for road safety, for the RoadWise Recognised initiative provides greater insights into:

  • the contribution that Local Governments are making to the State’s road safety objectives
  • the barriers and enablers for Local Governments’ involvement, and
  • a clearer understanding of the gaps in capacity and capability to deliver road safety outcomes for the WA community.

How it Works

Throughout the year, RoadWise Councils will be awarded Points for each road safety activity or intervention undertaken as per the RoadWise Framework. Points are allocated based on the effectiveness, longevity and scale of the road safety activity and takes into account the capacity of the Local Government. An increase in Points over time indicates progress towards better road safety practices.

Annually, RoadWise Council’s will be awarded Ribbons, highlighting their holistic approach to road safety, aligned to systems thinking. Ribbons will be awarded to a maximum of five and will re-set each year. For more information on the Ribbons, view the FAQ sheet.

To ensure this process is objective, equitable and transparent, a panel of independent specialists oversee the RoadWise Recognised initiative.

2025 RoadWise Recognised Awards

During the WALGA Local Government Awards night on Saturday, 19 July, 75 RoadWise Councils were acknowledged with a 2025 Ribbon status for their commitment to work towards better practice road safety.

The Ribbon status reflects how holistically the road safety action, recorded as part of the RoadWise Recognised initiative, is applied across the organisation. While every road safety activity matters, taking a systematic approach that involves all areas of influence will assist in delivering better practice road safety.

The 2025 RoadWise Council Ribbon statuses are as follows:

Shire of Harvey; Shire of Manjimup; City of Rockingham; City of South Perth; Shire of Wyalkatchem      

City of Albany; Shire of Augusta Margaret River; City of Bayswater; Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes; City of Bunbury; Town of Claremont; Shire of Collie; Shire of Cranbrook; Shire of Dalwallinu; Shire of Dardanup; Shire of Dowerin; Shire of Dundas; Shire of East Pilbara; City of Fremantle; Shire of Gingin; Shire of Lake Grace; Shire of Leonora; City of Melville; Shire of Menzies; Shire of Merredin; Shire of Narembeen; Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku; Shire of Northam; Shire  of Plantagenet; Town of Port Hedland; Shire of Toodyay; Shire of Trayning; Shire of Victoria Plains; Shire of Williams; Shire of Wiluna 

Shire of Ashburton; Shire of Beverley; Shire of Brookton; Shire of Broome; Shire of Broomehill-Tambellup; Shire of Capel; Shire of Coolgardie;; Shire of Cuballing; Shire of Denmark; Shire of Derby / West Kimberley; Shire of Esperance; Shire of Gnowangerup; Shire of Jerramungup; Shire of Kulin; Town of Mosman Park; Shire of Narrogin; Shire of Northampton; Shire of Quairading; Shire of Ravensthorpe; City of Wanneroo; Shire of Woodanilling; Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley

Shire of Carnarvon; Shire of Exmouth; City of Greater Geraldton; Shire of Halls Creek; City of Karratha; Shire of Katanning; Shire of Mingenew; Shire of Morawa; Shire of Mt Marshall; Shire of Mundaring; Shire of Shark Bay; Shire of Upper Gascoyne; Shire of Wagin; Shire of Yalgoo

Shire of Irwin; City of Nedlands

In addition to acknowledging the work of all RoadWise Councils, the Shire of Broome, Shire of Capel, Town of Claremont, Shire of Dowerin, Shire of Dundas, Shire of Exmouth, City of Greater Geraldton, Shire of Jerramungup, City of Karratha and Shire of Quairading received an Award in recognition of consistently demonstrating a commitment to planning, implementing, recording and communicating road safety action.

The Shire of Dowerin also took home the inaugural WA RoadWise Council Award as the RoadWise Council with the largest increase in level of activity recorded across all RoadWise Councils for the year. The Shire can display this trophy until next year’s awards when it will be presented to the highest achieving RoadWise Council for the year, according to the 2026 criteria. As we lay the foundations of a long-term program the criteria for the Awards may change as the program matures to ensure commitment and progress can be recognised and rewarded.

Recording of activities is key in both laying foundations of a long-term program to recognise commitment and progress, as well as allowing RoadWise Councils to demonstrate accountability as they proactively work towards better practice road safety.

2024 RoadWise Recognised Awards

During the WALGA Local Government Awards night on Friday, 2 August, 66 Local Governments were acknowledged, with a RoadWise Council Award, for their commitment to work towards better practice road safety delivery for their local communities.

The RoadWise Council Road Safety Awards will in future form part of the RoadWise Recognised initiative. This initiative aims to recognise active RoadWise Councils by awarding up to 5 Ribbons to highlight the holistic approach to road safety they have demonstrated during the year.

Aligned to systems thinking, each Ribbon represents one of the five relevant functional areas of Local Governments, as described in the RoadWise Framework, in which activity has been recorded.

This year, the RoadWise Council Road Safety Awards saw 60 Local Governments recognised for applying better practice in the planning and delivery of effective road safety interventions and the adoption of a holistic approach to road safety.

  • Most Active RoadWise Council category was presented to the City of Albany, Shire of Leonora and City of Rockingham for their road safety contributions. Collectively, these RoadWise Councils recorded 75 activities to improve road safety outcomes for their communities.
  • 5 Ribbon RoadWise Council was presented to the Shire of Manjimup for their delivery of road safety activity across all functional areas within the Local Government and demonstrating work in the Road Safety Governing Principles for Local Government.
  • 4 Ribbon RoadWise Councils were presented to the Shire of Ashburton, Shire of Augusta Margaret River, Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes, City of Bunbury and Town of Port Hedland.
  • 3 Ribbon RoadWise Councils were presented to the City of Albany, City of Bayswater, Shire of Beverley, Shire of Carnarvon, Shire of Collie, Shire of Cranbrook, City of Fremantle, Shire of Gnowangerup, Shire of Harvey, Shire of Lake Grace, Shire of Leonora, City of Melville, Shire  of Plantagenet, City of Rockingham, Shire of Shark Bay, Shire of Toodyay, Shire of Upper Gascoyne and Shire of Victoria Plains.                  
  • 2 Ribbon RoadWise Councils were presented to the Shire of Brookton, Shire of Broome, Shire of Broomehill-Tambellup, Shire of Cuballing, Shire of Dardanup, Shire of Denmark, Shire of East Pilbara, Shire of Esperance, Shire of Exmouth, Shire of Katanning, Shire of Laverton, Shire of Mingenew, Shire of Morawa, Shire of Mundaring, City of Nedlands, Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku, Shire of Northam, Shire of Northampton, Shire of Ravensthorpe, City of South Perth, City of Wanneroo, Shire of Williams and Shire of Wiluna.
  • 1 Ribbon RoadWise Councils were presented to the Shire of Coolgardie, Shire of Derby/West Kimberley, Shire of Dowerin, Shire of Gingin, Shire of Jerramungup, Shire of Kulin, Shire of Menzies, Town of Mosman Park, Shire of Mt Marshall, Shire of Narrogin, Shire of Wagin, Shire of Woodanilling and Shire of Yalgoo.

    In addition, all 66 Local Governments were acknowledged for making a commitment to road safety by registering as a RoadWise Council during 2023-24.