The Newma
n Government is sponsoring Fatality Free Friday (May 31) reinforcing the government’s ongoing commitment to curb the rising road toll.
Fatality Free Friday is another way to shine a spotlight on road safety and reduce the number of fatalities on our roads.
Last year almost one in five fatalities occurred on a Friday in Queensland and already this year our road toll is 10 more than the same time last year.
While Fatality Free Friday aims for no road deaths on May 31, we want motorists to keep the message top of mind every time they get behind the wheel, 365 days a year, to reduce the carnage on our roads.
For the month of May, we will be encouraging members of the public to sign an inflatable car which will be touring Queensland on a regional roadshow.
The inflatable car will appear at TMR Customer Service Centres across the state in regional areas, from Toowoomba all the way up to Cairns and inland to Mt Isa.”
This year’s theme “don’t gamble with your life at level crossings” supports Queensland Rail’s current safety campaign.
Running the gauntlet at these crossings is simply not worth the risk so I urge drivers to obey the signs and signals to avoid tragedy.
In 2012, there were 400 reported near-misses at railway crossings across the Queensland Rail network, down from 472 the previous year.
I encourage everyone to heed the Fatal Five messages and get behind Fatality Free Friday.
Let’s all make a commitment to support a Fatality Free Friday on 31 May and to drive safely all year round.
We have already had 96 deaths on Queensland roads this year which is far too many and I urge all Queenslanders to do their bit to stop that number from going up.
All Queenslanders are encouraged to make their pledge, either by signing one of the inflatable cars touring the state, or online at www.fatalityfreefriday.com