MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Use
SIX STATES AND TERRITORIES RECORD A FATALITY, FREE FRIDAY
Sadly, despite thousands of Australians choosing to pledge their support for Fatality Free Friday on May 29th, three people lost their lives on our roads.
One person was killed in Midgee, south of Rockhampton and another two young females lost their lives in the outer southern suburbs of Cooloongup, Western Australia.
Australian Road Safety Foundation founder and CEO Russell White said his and the team’s thoughts were with the loved ones of the young woman who lost their lives on Friday.
“Each time a person is killed on our roads, there are countless loved ones who will forever bear the burden of losing that person,” Mr White said.
“This is why we’re committed to advocating for road safety not only on Fatality Free Friday, but each and every day of the year.
“While we can record how many fatalities there were, we cannot count the number of lives that were saved. Each life lost on our roads is one too many, so we will continue to drive home the safety message.”
Mr White said he hoped that if people committed to driving safely on Fatality Free Friday, that they would do so the next day and ultimately change their driving behaviours entirely.
“While road trauma is tragic, it is preventable and most often the result of someone’s choice – the choice to speed, to use a mobile phone, to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, to drive fatigued, or to run a red light – we all have the choice to make a safe environment for all road users,” he said.
“Through the Fatality Free Friday initiative, our Choose Road Safety message has reached millions of Australians and is encouraging safer behaviour on the roads 365 days a year.”
Held annually on the last Friday in May, Fatality Free Friday is the nation’s largest community-based road safety initiative.
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| About the Australian Road Safety Foundation:
The Australian Road Safety Foundation is a not for profit organisation dedicated to improving road safety awareness, enhancing driver education and reducing the impact of road trauma. The Foundation strives to improve road safety outcomes, develop research and education programs and work to inform policy makers on methods to address road safety issues. It also provides an umbrella organisation for other road safety programs and community groups. ARSF is helping to develop a sustainable strategy for reducing the social and economic costs of road crashes, as well as providing a platform for future research and advocacy programs. |