National Road Safety Week 2021 made a ‘pledge to drive so others survive’. 2020 saw 276 Queenslander’s die on the road and there was a 125% increase in road fatalities as of February this year in comparison to the same time last year. This has led to many desperate and cautionary pleas from the police, urging drivers to obey road rules and to be vigilant while driving.
It is only fitting that the 2021 Road Safety Week asks drivers to make a pledge for themselves, loved ones and fellow road users.
The pledge is as follows:
“I pledge to drive as if my loved ones are on the road ahead.
I will remove all distractions and never use my mobile phone while driving.
I will not put other people at risk by speeding, driving while tired or under the influence of alcohol/drugs.
I will protect all vulnerable road users, especially those whose job places them in harm’s way, by slowing down and giving them the space they need to be safe.”
As the holder of a truck license and the head of Taylor’s Removals, Melissa is very conscious about road safety. She is committed to helping create a safe road environment for all road users. Driving and transport is a large part of our trade and as such, she feels responsible for ensuring we use the roads responsibly. Her staff and herself regularly take defensive driving courses and other workshops in order to keep their skills up to scratch.
Melissa wants to challenge each of you to visit the road safety website and take this pledge for yourselves and others.
Road accidents injure and take the lives of thousands of people every single year. There are approximately 1200 people killed and another 44,000 seriously injured on Australian roads alone. Traffic injury is the biggest killer of Australian children under 15 and the second-biggest killer of all Australians aged between 15 and 24.
Having these statistics in the forefront of your mind, while scary, is necessary in order to stop this number from growing every single year. Everyone is someone’s loved one. Drive so others survive.