The New South Wales government has thrown its support behind a road safety initiative which is meant to capture the attention of all road users and inspire them to take action to reduce car accident injuries and fatalities.
Fatality Free Friday which occurs on May 30, is run by the Australian Road Safety Foundation, which was established to reduce road accidents across the country.
According to the foundation, there are around five deaths every day on Australian roads. The aim is to have one Friday on which this toll is zero.
It is hoped that if drivers can concentrate fully on the roads just for one day, it can change behaviours and ultimately lower the totalnumber of fatalities. This is why it needs the full buy in of stakeholders such as the NSW government.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Transport Ray Williams said there is only so much police can do to educate drivers.
“While law enforcement and road rules are the backbone of safe roads, there is no substitute for driver vigilance and road users making a personal commitment to safe behaviour,” he said.
“We need to think about our actions such as avoiding drink driving, sticking to the speed limit and having sufficient rest before driving.”
Community involvement
Drivers in NSW are encouraged to sign inflatable cars in a pledge to drive safe on May 30. The government will display the cars at various locations such as shopping malls and sports events around the state.
“So we encourage people to get involved with Fatality Free Friday by pledging their commitment to behave in a way that keeps our roads safe,” Mr Williams said.
As well as government events, the Australian Road Safety Foundation is holding their own community engagement campaign that aims to teach road users more about safety. The two-month project will continue after the date to reinforce the ideas.
It hasn’t be a good start to the year on state roads with 110 already losing their lives. Transport for NSW? revealed that amounts to 14 more fatalities than the same time last year.
There will be further information available at the inflatable vehicles, such as breakdown and pedestrian safety, tips for older drivers and commonly misunderstood road rules, the government said.
Road users can take the Fatality Free Friday pledge by visiting www.fatalityfreefriday.com or by visiting the Fatality Free Friday Facebook page.
If you are involved in a car accident on NSW roads, it is best to contact a car accident lawyer who can advise whether you are eligible for compensation.
