Roma forum to focus on road safety

Roma’s community leaders will rally today to look at road safety.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey and police will visit a special forum to meet with stakeholders and share ideas so locals keep safety front of mind when driving.

“The Palaszczuk Government is delivering more $23 billion for better Queensland roads, including $900 million in road safety initiatives – but we all have a role to play,” Mr Bailey said.

“The number of deaths on Queensland roads for 2019 to-date is the lowest in five years, but we want to bring that number down zero.

“Unfortunately, the fatal five – speed, alcohol and drugs, fatigue, not wearing a seatbelt and driver distraction - continues to be the major factor in road crashes.

In 2018, 66 people were killed and 915 were seriously injured as a result of a crashes in Southern Queensland region alone.

92 per cent of these fatalities (61 people) and 57 per cent of serious injuries (525 people) were the results of crashes on rural roads.

Discussions from the event will be used to inform the next Queensland Road Safety Strategy, which is being shaped by conversations with regional communities sharing their perspectives about road.

“When crash occurs, it’s the families, friends and first responders who are left deal with the trauma.

“It’s up to all of us to respect each other on the roads every time we drive, walk and ride.”

Queensland Police Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Mike Keating said the Roma forum was a great opportunity to share the road safety first message.

“Our road safety efforts should and do spread the length and breadth of Queensland,” Mr Keating said.

“Rural roads are over-represented in our fatal crash statistics and we want to partner with the community and seek their assistance to raise awareness and help lower the road toll,” Assistant Commissioner Keating said.

The Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC), RACQ and QUT’s Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q) are QRSW supporters.

For more information about QRSW, visit https://streetsmarts.initiatives.qld.gov.au/road-safety-week/events

ENDS

Media contact: Francis Dela Cruz - 0420 592 078