18 April 2019
Statement from Russell White, CEO Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF)
ARSF COMMENDS LIBERAL AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENT ROAD SAFETY PLAN
The Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF) welcomes today’s Liberal and National Government promise to protect lives by making Australian roads safer.
The Government’s plan includes up to $1.8 million investment to support a one-year pilot of our own ‘Digital Road Safety Passport for Schools’ program for Year Nine students.
The new road safety initiative is designed to equip young Australians with a deep-seated understanding of road safety foundations before obtaining a Learner’s permit.
Road fatalities claim approximately 1,200 lives in Australia every year. Road trauma is the number one killer of children aged 14 years and under and is the second highest killer, behind suicide, of young people aged under 24 years.
It is essential we educate our children about managing their own personal safety, and we commend the commitment of the Liberal and National Government to reduce this tragic loss of life.
The pilot covers all foundations of road usage with the view to teach a vital understanding of how to safely use the road, not just as a future driver but as pedestrians, passengers and cyclists.
Over the first pilot year, ARSF will collect evidence on the initiative which, if successful, could be rolled out as a structured program of study across age groups in the lead up to them becoming learner drivers.
Funding of our ‘Digital Road Safety Passport for Schools’ forms part of the Government’s record $100 billion investment into transport infrastructure which will keep our roads safe, while also reducing congestion, connecting people to the places and produce needed in their daily lives.
For more information on the LNP’s road safety plan and investment commitments please see: http://nationals.org.au/keeping-australians-safe-on-our-roads/
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ARSF Media Contact:
Frances Browne
Thrive PR on behalf of ARSF
(e) [email protected]
(m) 0431 296 499