THIS week is National Road Safety Week, a time when people are urged to honour and remember the lives lost on our roads.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said National Road Safety Week also brings focus to how we can work together to save lives and prevent serious injuries on our roads.
“The beginning of National Road Safety Week is an important date to me, as I’m sure it is to Australians across the country, as we reflect on the profound impact road crashes have on the community,” Mr McCormack said.
“To start this week on Sunday 15 November, we will pause to remember the approximately 1,200 lives lost on Australian roads each year.”
Mr McCormack said road safety was everyone’s responsibility and the Australian Government was working hard to put Australia on a path to achieve ‘Vision Zero’ by 2050.
“We take our role in this seriously which is why we committed $500m for targeted road safety upgrades as part of our infrastructure stimulus package in June, as well as a $2bn Road Safety Program in the 2020-21 budget,” he said.
“A significant part of the new infrastructure program will apply life-saving measures to roads in regional areas starting in the New Year, making a very real benefit to road safety.
“We have also committed $5.5m over four years for a new National Road Safety Data Hub to assemble an invaluable national picture on safety to make sure we are targeting the areas most in need.”
Mr McCormak said this week was also a chance to recognise the work of Peter Frazer and the SARAH Group (Safer Australian Roads and Highways), who founded the National Road Safety Week in 2013.
SARAH is named in honour of Peter’s daughter Sarah, who was tragically killed on the Hume Highway in 2012.
