Regional agencies partner to promote winter road safety
Explore Councils by state
As the temperature drops across the region, residents and visitors alike are dealing with the return of ice on cars and sleet in the sky. This week, agencies across the wider region partnered to officially launch the snow season road safety campaign.
Every year, the winter period sees a significant increase in the number of crashes across the Snowy Monaro. These crashes can lead to serious trauma and can impact communities far and wide –with visitors travelling intercity, interstate and internationally to visit the region.
This year, Council has brought together a number of organisations including Transport for NSW, Goulburn-Mulwaree Council, Queanbeyan-Palerang Council, NSW Police, NSW Highway Patrol, Snow Safe, and The Australian Ski Patrol Association to ensure the road safety message is heard. The Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH) Group supported the initiative online.
“This region has challenging weather conditions that are unpredictable and often dangerous to drive in,” said Council’s Road Safety Officer.
“With fog, ice, hail, black ice, snow and the addition of animals on our road – it is essential we all slow down and pull over if it becomes too unsafe to drive.”
Motorists also need to be aware of fatigue management, as regional residents and travellers regularly drive long distances. People are generally unaware of the impact fatigue can have, but research has shown that staying awake for 17 hours or longer has the same impact as a blood alcohol level of .05.
For the safety of everyone on the road, it is critically important to take regular breaks and be aware of the signs of fatigue.
To learn more about how to identify fatigue and its effects on the road, the NSW Government launched Test Your Tired Self – a fast, fun, and interactive test that can be taken prior to hitting the road. Motorists will find useful tips on what to do before getting behind the wheel to avoid driving tired.
With snow forecast for the week ahead and the launch of the snow season this weekend, traffic is already starting to pick up. The launch demonstrates the commitment of Council and authorities across the region to keeping our community safe.
The Snowy Monaro community can expect to see and hear an increase in road safety messaging this snow season. These messages will focus on two key themes; drive to the conditions and don’t drive tired.
These points are essential in keeping everyone safe on the road, especially during winter. It is everybody’s responsibility to do the right thing behind the wheel.
Visit www.testyourtiredself.com.au to take the test and learn more about managing fatigue.