Every year, more than 1,200 people are killed and 44,000 seriously injured on Australian roads. National Road Safety Week honours those we have lost and pledges to make the roads safer for everyone. But despite the growing size and significance of the event, the crash that sparked the yellow ribbon tradition is a sad and deeply personal story that summarises the dangers facing all who use the roads.
In February 2012, 23 year old Sarah Frazer was driving to Wagga Wagga to begin her University degree when her car broke down on the Hume Highway, just south of Mittagong.
She managed to come to a stop beside the road, but did so on a section of the Hume that had a breakdown lane only 1.5 metres wide – less than the width of a typical vehicle, and half the national standard. This meant that her car was protruding onto driving lanes hosting traffic moving at 100km/h and faster. Sarah called the NRMA and was attended by a patrol, who in turn called out a local tow-truck driver.
As the tow truck driver was hitching Sarah’s vehicle to his own, a truck driver approaching from behind, side-swiping the broken-down car and collided with the pair, killing them both instantly. It was later estimated in court that the truck driver must have been distracted for between 8 to 11 seconds, to have not seen the car and tow-truck from up to 300 metres away. Crash investigators deduced that the driver saw them at the last second and attempted to swerve away, but ploughed into Sarah's car.
Although the driver was found guilty of dangerous driving, the road was also at fault because it did not meet the standards required to allow sufficient room for vehicles to pull off the road safely. Had the breakdown lane been made to the Austroads standard, both Sarah and the tow truck driver would not have been left in the line of high speed traffic.
National Road Safety Week
Following the tragic loss of his daughter Sarah in 2012, Peter Frazer placed a yellow ribbon, her favourite colour, on his car as a way to remember her. This simple gesture sparked a community-wide movement as others began to follow suit, placing yellow ribbons on their vehicles in solidarity. The momentum continued to build when a petition for better road infrastructure garnered an overwhelming response, amassing 23,000 signatures within weeks.
From this grassroots beginning, the Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH) Group was born, founded by Peter Frazer. This organisation initiated Yellow Ribbon Week, now recognised as National Road Safety Week, advocating for policy changes and legislative reforms to prevent avoidable tragedies on Australia's roads. The iconic yellow ribbon, symbolising the memory of lives lost on our roads and a commitment to road safety, has become a national emblem, adorning landmarks, vehicles, and emergency vehicles across the country, illuminating the importance of safer driving practices.
A significant legislative milestone was achieved in September 2019, with the enactment of 'Sarah's Rule' in NSW, requiring drivers and riders to reduce their speed to 40km/h if the speed limit is 80km/h or less, when passing stationary emergency vehicles with flashing lights. If the speed limit is over 80km/h, drivers must slow down safely and move over. This includes changing lanes on a multi-lane road, if it’s safe to do so. In 90km/h or over zones, drivers must slow to a safe and reasonable speed, give plenty of space and change lanes if it's safe to do so. Similar laws have been implemented in other Australian States and Territories, including Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. Other countries also have similar road rules.
The NRMA supports National Road Safety Week and campaigns relentlessly for improvements in infrastructure, vehicles, regulation and driver behaviour. These include the hard-fought battle for a fully dual-carriageway Pacific Highway, our key role in the founding of ANCAP and our ongoing research and advocacy in diverse road safety fields including alcohol and drug testing, speed enforcement and driver education.
Please Pledge to Drive So Others Survive and display a yellow ribbon to show your support for road safety.
View the 2026 Transport for NSW Road Safety Action plan.
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