Take Fatality Free Friday pledge to make every day safer on our roads

Zero deaths on Australian roads for one day.

That is the annual Fatality Free Friday objective for today’s (May 27, 2022) national road safety campaign.

Toowoomba Regional Council today reaffirmed the road safety pledge with the Queensland Police Service, the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service, the Queensland Ambulance Service, the Department of Transport and Main Roads and community road safety education organisations at Grand Central.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio said Council was pleased to renew the pledge and determined to raise road safety awareness and work toward saving lives on our roads.

“Fatality Free Friday sharpens our focus on collective and individual responsibilities for all road users – including pedestrians, cyclists, public transport passengers, motorcyclists and motorists – so we’re very proud to be supporting this initiative,” Mayor Antonio said.

“We lose too many people to road crashes every year, and we must do everything we can to improve this. It starts with every single one of us being aware of others on our roads.

“These are unspeakable tragedies that occur too frequently. Apart from the grief felt by victims’ families and friends, it is estimated that the cost of 22 fatal traffic crashes across the Darling Downs Police district in 2021 equated to approximately $95 million.

“While the target is to have a fatality free Friday, the campaign is more than just a single day.

“Ultimately, we are aiming for a longer-term community change to ensure that every day is fatality free across Australia.”

TRC Infrastructure Services Committee chair Cr Carol Taylor said there was no excuse for taking risks on or around roads.

Cr Taylor said all road users must remember to give their total attention to the road and surrounding conditions on every journey.

“There is no room for complacency. Please remember to avoid taking risks behind the wheel as you not only endanger your own life, but the lives of your passengers, other motorists and road users around you,” Cr Taylor said.

“Council is committed to improving road safety through better engineering on our road projects and advocating for road safety education.

“Council continues to implement the actions from our Road Safety Strategy 2019-23. The document outlines our commitment to achieve zero road deaths and serious injuries across our Region.

“Our strategy serves as an action plan that helps Council, our key stakeholders and the community participate in road safety initiatives across the Region.

“Council is developing safer transport networks, with a top priority on heavy vehicle route infrastructure upgrades.

“Council will continue to apply for available road funding grants, including allocations under the federally funded Black Spot program, which delivers projects that reduce the incidence and severity of road traffic crashes. Council has received $2.6 million in the 2022/23 Blackspot Program for three projects in Toowoomba city. (to provide traffic signals at the Margaret/Mackenzie Streets intersection; to upgrade traffic signals at the Bridge/Hume Streets intersection and to construct a roundabout with raised pedestrian crossings at the Perth/Curzon Streets intersection)

“I also urge motorists to take extra caution and be patient on our roads in the wake of recent flooding events that have caused damage at many locations across our road network. We are seeking external funding to help restore our infrastructure to a more resilient standard, however this will take time.

“In the past year Council, together with our road safety partners, has taken action to help our community to be safer on the road.”

Some of these actions include: • Council conducted reviews leading to reduced speed limits on: Margaret Street, East Toowoomba; Mackenzie Street, Mount Lofty; Perth Street, Rangeville; Sussex Drive, Oakey; Darling Street, Drayton; Gore and Barwick Streets, Westbrook and Woolmer Road, Woolmer.

• Council also approved funding for a multi-road detection system, vehicle-activated LED warning sign for Umbiram Road, Fisher Road and Wyreema-Cambooya Road at Wyreema.

TRC Infrastructure Services portfolio leader and Regional Active and Public Transport Advisory Committee chair Cr Melissa Taylor said Council supported and promoted a range of road safety initiatives such as National Road Safety Week and Queensland Road Safety Week, National Ride Safely to School Day, Coffee with a Cop and today’s Fatality Free Friday event.

“We are continuing with upgrades to traffic signals that allow pedestrians and vulnerable road users to start walking before vehicles have a green light, or in some cases the vehicles are held while the pedestrian movement is completed,” Cr Taylor said.

BACKGROUND: Fatality Free Friday is an Australian Road Safety Foundation community effort targeted to achieve a fatality free Friday for one day across the whole country.

Since its inception in 2007, the campaign has continued to expand its operation and is recognised as Australia’s only national, community-based road safety program.

Statistically, the highest number of deaths occur on Australian roads on Fridays with 21% of all road deaths occurring on Fridays. The campaign is more than a single day. While the target is to have a fatality free Friday, ultimately it aims for longer term community change in driver behaviour.

To date, more than 482,387 road safety pledges have been signed.

For more information about Fatality Free Friday, please visit: https://arsf.com.au/

Caption: Top: QAS advanced care paramedic Lauren Bowden (left) joins TRC Infrastructure Services Committee chair Cr Carol Taylor, Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio, QFES Chief Superintendent Jason Lawler and QPS Acting Superintendent David Briese to stress road safety messages to highlight Fatality Free Friday.