Road safety up in lights

As National Road Safety Week kicks off in Victoria, the State Government is continuing its significant investment in road safety infrastructure, education, and technology to ensure every Victorian makes it home safely.

The Victorian Budget 2022/23 includes $263.1 million to deliver Victoria’s Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 and Action Plan to halve deaths and significantly reduce injuries by 2030 and set Victoria on the path towards zero road deaths by 2050.

So far this year, 91 people have been killed on Victorian roads, which is an increase on the 83 at the same time last year.

In 2021, the state’s road toll increased by 10 per cent on 2020, despite regional Victoria recording its second-lowest number of lives lost on record.

Road safety upgrades and initiatives will focus on the key cohorts of at-risk road users, including vulnerable and unprotected road users, people who drive for work and road workers, those who engage in high-risk behaviour and repeat offenders.

This is on top of the life-saving infrastructure upgrades already being rolled out across the state, including more than 200 safety upgrades on regional, urban and peri-urban roads.

In addition, the Victorian Government is continuing to roll out its renowned road safety campaigns through the Transport Accident Commission addressing key road trauma issues.

To mark National Road Safety Week (NRSW), and Road Trauma Support Services Victoria’s Shine a Light on Road Safety Week, iconic landmarks will be illuminated in yellow in memory and support of people impacted by road trauma.

The illuminations include Flinders Street Station; the MCG, AAMI Park, Melbourne Town Hall, the Bolte Bridge and Sound Tube, M80 and Tullamarine Freeway, Frankston Art Centre’s Flytower, Ballarat Town Hall, Castlemaine Town Hall, Bendigo Conservatory, Warrnambool’s Archie Graham Building, and Geelong’s Ryrie and Moorabool streets intersection.