Run by the Australian Road Safety Foundation, the annual event is designed to focus public attention on road safety and encourage all road users to think and drive safely.
With six deaths on Greater Shepparton roads to date this year, triple the number of deaths for the same time last year, RoadSafe Goulburn Valley is urging drivers to be aware of wet weather conditions and take care on our local roads.
‘‘We endorse what everyone is doing, it doesn’t matter whether it’s police, VicRoads, CFA, we are all on the same page to slow down and act responsibly,’’ RoadSafe Goulburn Valley program coordinator Peter McPhee said.
‘‘It’s human error not the roads — we are very concerned that great, loving people have been taken on our roads through human error, mistake of judgement, speed, distance or tiredness let alone hopefully without alcohol and drugs.’’
In the lead up to Fatality Free Friday, the Australian Road Safety Foundation released new research, which puts the spotlight on the dangerous behaviours of regional drivers and the need for further education.
Of the 1001 people who completed the online questionnaire conducted by Pure Profile, Victorian respondents made up 25 per cent of the total sample size.
Results showed that one third of these Victorian drivers admitted to driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, one in three admitted to speeding at least one to two times a week and one in four admitted to touching or looking at their mobile phones while driving at least once a week.
The research also showed that when people were driving alone the likelihood of taking a risk increased by roughly 20 per cent, with men more likely than women to rake risks on the road.
Australian Road Safety Foundation founder and chief executive officer Russell White said the admissions of risky road behaviour were significantly higher among rural road users compared to city drivers.
‘‘The stark reality is that any time you take a risk behind the wheel, you are putting the lives of every motorist, passenger, cyclist and pedestrian around you at risk,’’ Mr White said.
‘‘It’s imperative we stamp out the idea that it’s just drivers who suffer the consequences of road risk taking. There’s no room for complacency and all lives must be top of mind for road users.’’
The Australian Road Safety Foundation is calling on individuals to make their Fatality Free Friday pledge online via their website, with close to 280000 people already committing to zero deaths on Australian roads for the day.
With winter beginning tomorrow, Mr McPhee said RoadSafe Goulburn Valley was reminding people of the dangers associated with wet-weather driving, including rain, fog, mist and hail.
To ensure the safety of all road users, Mr McPhee encouraged drivers to put their headlights on low beam during the day, when towing machinery and wide loads or moving stock and fodder.
‘‘We endorse the remarks of the police who are all saying the same thing — they hate going to sites to see young people seriously injured or killed,’’ he said.
‘‘Road safety is the community’s responsibility, it’s a privilege to have a driver’s licence.’’
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