The NTC was asked to explore technology related Australian Road Rules (ARR) to reflect the introduction of new devices (such as smart watches) to address safety risks, while also encouraging the use of technology that supports safety.
The NTC focused on addressing high-risk interactions with technology proven by research to significantly increase crash risk while driving.
In November 2020, ministers agreed to work towards amending the road rules in line with the NTC's recommendations.
The endorsed recommendations seek to address all sources of distraction while driving and provide a technology-neutral approach to regulate interactions with technology in the ARRs.
The recommendations also amend the ARRs to adopt a hybrid policy approach (using both prescriptive and performance-based rules) to clarify what the public can and cannot do safety when interacting with technology while driving.