Monday 6 May 2024: The NRMA is reminding motorists to drive safely as National Road Safety Week commences and the road toll across Australia continues to climb.
The NRMA’s calls for a strong focus on road safety come as Australians spend National Road Safety Week honouring the more than 1,200 people killed and over 40,000 seriously injured on Australian roads each year.
National Road Safety Week was born out of tragedy in 2012, when an NRMA service provider and 23-year-old Member Sarah Frazer were killed in the breakdown lane of the Hume Highway.
NRMA patrol vehicles will be paying tribute by displaying yellow ribbons on their vehicles throughout National Road Safety week from 5-12 May.
Since January 1, 2024, 124 people have died in NSW roads, alarmingly, this is 16 higher than the same time last year.
The road toll is particularly horrific in country NSW with 85 of the lives lost in NSW occurring outside of metropolitan Sydney. While country residents make up just one-third of the NSW population, two-thirds of all fatalities occurred on country roads.
NRMA Road Safety Expert Dimitra Vlahomitros said far too many drivers continue to make poor choices on the road despite the increasing road toll across Australia.
“Unfortunately, the road toll for 2024 is already worse than the same time last year. These are not just numbers, they are lives lost, and we must remember that we are all responsible for our actions behind the wheel.
“The NRMA has been front and centre in advocating for more visible policing on our roads, an increase in RBT’s and further investment in effective enforcement is urgently needed to help to curb bad driver behaviour. Ultimately, we want to see more lives saved”.
