National Road Safety Week has come to an end for another year.
This year the theme of the week was “Drive So Others Survive!”, serving as a simple reminder of the needless loss of life that occurs when people drive recklessly.
Already this year 100 people have lost their lives due to what police call ‘The Fatal Five’: speeding, drink & drug driving, not wearing seat belts, fatigue, and distracted driving.
This is an increase on the 79 lives lost in 2020.
Buildings, bridges, and icons across the country were lit up yellow “in remembrance of the 1,200 lives lost, and more than 39,000 people seriously injured on Australia’s roads each year”.
The initiative, started by Peter Frazer who lost his 23-year-old daughter in a road accident, aims to raise awareness of the need for more responsible behaviour on our country’s roads.
“It is simply not acceptable that these tragedies are seen as regrettable but normal situations,” Mr Frazar, the founder of Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH), said.
“As these crashes are avoidable, we need to do more to ensure they do not happen and where they do occur, the outcomes must not be so serious as to maim or kill innocent people.”
“While our officers are doing all we can to keep motorists safe, road safety is a shared responsibility,” Acting Chief Superintendent from the Queensland Police, Ray Rohweder said.
“These factors have a direct consequence on your life and those around you, as well as emergency responders”.
“By working together, we can get everyone home safe to their loved ones, every day, with no exceptions,” Mr Frazer said.
For more information and ways to help the cause, visit www.roadsafetyweek.com.au.
