Nearly 1,200 people have been killed on Australian roads in the year ending in October this year, a 6 per cent increase of road deaths compared to the previous 12 months.
This holiday period, the Australian Government urges drivers to choose road safety – whether you are buckling up for a drive or walking close to a road.
“Enjoy the holiday season, drive safe to the conditions so you and other can survive,” said Member for Werriwa, Anne Stanley.
Over Christmas, there is an increase of road usage as people enjoy the festive season.
The Government is urging motorists to be extra cautious on rural and regional roads, as many of them have suffered extensively from recent floods, meaning drivers should drive with the expectation that roads will be damaged.
Almost two-thirds of road deaths each year happen on rural and regional roads. Although it is easy to blame the concentration of rural road deaths on visits, we know locals are just as vulnerable to being killed or seriously injured.
“My message could not be clearer – wear a seat belt, don’t drink and drive, stop and rest if you’re tired and importantly, slow down on rural and regional roads and don’t speed,” said Federal Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Carol Brown.
Ms Stanley said that the “most important thing is to arrive safely, for your loved ones and yourself.”
So, whether you forgot to grab some cream for the pav’ or heading on a road trip, the Government urges drivers to consider the following:
- Is my car safe to drive?
- Am I safe to be behind the wheel or am I too tired to be driving?
- Are my loved ones buckled up?
- Is everything secure?
- Have I planned my journey if I am driving an unfamiliar route?
“Drive to the conditions and drive so others survive,” Ms Brown said.
