By Molly Magennis
Staying safe on the road is a priority for Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay residents during the Christmas and New Year period.
The times of highest risk are when people are leaving for holiday destinations and returning home.
Police and road safety authorities have requested that motorists stay within the speed limit, don’t drink alcohol or take drugs and drive, leave your mobile phone out of reach, wear your seatbelt/child restraints and make sure you are well-rested.
Drivers are asked to plan their trip, be patient and ensure that you take at least a 15 minutes break at least every two hours and don’t drive if you are tired.
Road trauma isn’t just about the lives that are lost– it’s about the enormous impact on the community, from the family members, to the emergency services workers who have to deal with these tragedies on a daily basis, to the police who have to deliver the devastating news to loved ones.
All of the community has a responsibility and a role to play in reducing road trauma.
All drivers are requested to plan their trip, be patient and ensure that they have frequent breaks when driving long distances.
RoadSafe Westgate Community Road Safety Council chairman, Jim Giddings, said it has been demonstrated time after time that speed is a contributing factor in most road crashes.
“Therefore stay within the speed limit and drive to suit the conditions you face,” he said.
“Speeding affects both the risk of a crash happening and the severity of injuries sustained when a crash does happen.”
Mr Giddings says the work of his group would hopefully reduce the number of serious road crashes on our roads.
He asked the community to report information about speeding drivers to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or to 000 if the speeding is in progress.
Holiday driving has its challenges and drivers should drive in the hours they are normally awake, take regular breaks to reduce fatigue and allow extra space between vehicles.
Before embarking on any driving trips drivers should check their tyres, windscreen washers, brakes and lights.
