On 26 March 2026, AANT will bring together industry leaders and more than 1,500 Year 10 to 12 students at the Darwin Convention Centre for a full day dedicated to reducing road trauma in the Northern Territory.
The day will begin with AANT’s second Road Safety Industry Breakfast, where ANCAP Safety Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg will outline how stronger vehicle safety standards, innovation and life-saving technology are helping reduce serious injuries and deaths across Australia and New Zealand.
AANT Chief Executive Officer Simon Matthias said pairing safer vehicles with safer behaviour is critical, particularly in a jurisdiction with the highest road fatality rate in Australia.
“Vehicle safety standards continue to improve, but the most powerful safety feature will always be an informed driver,” Mr Matthias said.
Immediately following the breakfast, the focus will shift to the sixth annual Street Smart High, the Territory’s largest youth road safety education initiative.
Through crash re-enactments, real-life stories and interactive displays, students will confront the consequences of the “Fatal Five” — drink and drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt, speeding, distraction and dangerous road use.
Between 2015 and 2024, young drivers under 25 accounted for 25.1 percent of road deaths and 31.9 percent of serious injuries in the NT1, highlighting the urgency of targeted education.
“Even the safest vehicle cannot compensate for dangerous decisions,” Mr Haythorpe, AANT Senior Manager – Advocacy & Community Engagement, said. “Street Smart High equips young Territorians with the awareness and confidence they need to make safer choices behind the wheel and as passengers.”
Supported by the Northern Territory Government, NT Motor Accidents Compensation Commission, Towards Zero, NT Police, NT Fire and Rescue and St John Ambulance, the combined events reflect AANT’s commitment to tackling road trauma at every level — from advocating for stronger vehicle safety standards to educating the next generation of Territory drivers.
Because safer vehicles matter. But smarter decisions save lives.
For more information about Street Smart High, visit Street Smart High | AANT.
1Toward Zero: 10-year NT fatality statistics (2015-2024) Lives lost on NT roads - Towards Zero - Road Safety