Remember the 1200 at 12:00
5 May 2019: With National Road Safety Week (NRSW) launching today (Monday 6 May), SARAH Group and its NRSW Partners are asking Australians to pause at midday today to remember those affected by road tragedy.
“Unbelievably 1,200 Australians were killed and 35,000 seriously injured last year, and with an estimated cost to our nation of $30 billion per annum, road trauma is at epidemic proportions. Yet road injury and death remains mostly hidden from the community. As a result, the public can become desensitised”, Peter Frazer, President, Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH) said.
“While these statistics are most distressing, they tell us nothing about the personal stories of those involved, of our emergency services personnel who suffer PTSD because of what they see, of the parents and partners left to identify their loved ones, and of the sad legacy carried by family and friends for the rest of their lives.”
“Often all you hear after a road tragedy is that some anonymous person has been killed or seriously injured, and that traffic is banked up, delaying commuters from getting home. But speak with emergency service workers about what they face, and with families and friends about what they endure after the death of a loved one, or in supporting someone who has been seriously injured, and it is impossible not to be moved.”
“So at midday today we are asking people to stop for a moment to remember those 1200 killed … and to stop and remember those 35,000 Australians who were seriously injured on our roads last year. Then show your solidarity by wearing a yellow ribbon, and/or flying one from your vehicle to demonstrate your public commitment. You will be making a real difference!” Peter Frazer added.
SARAH Group and the National Road Safety Week Partners are encouraging all Australians to take the “Drive So Others Survive!” pledge at: https://www.roadsafetyweek.net.au/
ENDS
Media Enquiries:
Peter Frazer, President SARAH Group is available for interview on 0466 968 700.
For additional spokespeople, please contact Louise Nealon on 0403 569 177 or louise@louisenealon.com
About National Road Safety Week
National Road Safety Week is an initiative of Safer Australian Highways and Roads (SARAH) Group, established by President Peter Frazer and partnering with road safety advocates to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by crashes on Australian roads. The SARAH Group was founded following the tragic death of Mr Frazer's daughter Sarah, who was killed in a completely avoidable road crash on the Hume Highway on 15 February 2012. Sarah was 23.
