Last week was Queensland’s Road Safety Week and as such, it seems like the perfect time to review and drive home, pun intended, some of the key takeaways from this year!
Motor accidents take the lives of thousands of people every single year. By April 2021, there were 301 road deaths in Queensland alone. It is vitally important that we, as a community, are constantly working to stay vigilant on the road and remain educated on safe driving techniques.
StreetsSmarts is a Queensland Government operated, real time education program designed to help people polish their road awareness and keep our roads safer. When it comes to road safety, the hard truth is – no matter how good we think we are, we can always improve. StreetsSmarts provides tips and tools to all road users—from cyclists to heavy-vehicle operators—because if we are on the roads, we have a responsibility to keep them as safe as possible.
Obeying road rules, following safety directions, minimising distractions and being present while driving will all help in achieving this goal. However, we also have a responsibility to watch out for our mates and other members of our community. Educate your children and young members of your community on the dangers of drink driving, drugs, fatigue, speeding and cell phone use. The death toll in young drivers is exponentially higher than that of older motorists and education is the best method for combatting this issue.
What’s more, taking a defensive driving course to keep your skills up to snuff is never a bad idea and will help give you a higher chance at staying safe in problematic or dangerous situations on the road.
We hope everyone stays safe on the roads and remember the more we use our street smarts, the safer our roads will be!