SA Police launches road safety campaign targeting regional drivers

There’s a big myth in the country about fatal crashes – now a new SA Police campaign aims to dispel it completely.

Police have launched a highly emotive safety campaign aimed at dispelling a myth among regional motorists that only metropolitan drivers die on country roads.

The new campaign – ‘Two in three deaths on country roads are country people’ – targets the misconception that regional drivers are less likely to die on roads with which they are familiar.

Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott said 70 per cent of South Australian roads deaths were in the country despite only 30 per cent of the population living in regional or rural areas.

“Nearly half of the people who have died on regional roads this year have resided 20km or less from where the crash occurred,” Mr Parrott said.

Mr Parrott said that statistic was in conflict with the beliefs of regional residents who were surveyed for the development of the campaign.

Behind-the-scenes shots of the SA Police regional road safety campaign.

“Overwhelmingly, the research found that people living in regional areas believe it is metropolitan drivers who die on country roads,” he said.

“The common misconception is that drivers who know the local roads like the back of their hand are less likely to be involved in a fatal crash.

“Our aim with this campaign is to dispel that myth. We need regional road users to understand that they are as susceptible to the fatal five as anyone else.”

The fatal five causes of road trauma are drink and drug driving, speeding, distraction, failing to wear a seatbelt and dangerous driving, which includes driving while fatigued.

Of the 76 lives lost on the state’s roads so far in 2021, 54 – or 71 per cent – have been on regional roads. The Barossa (13) and Hills Fleurieu (12) have recorded the most deaths.

The road safety campaign depicts a likeable country bloke who issues a dire warning to SA’s regional community: “Out here, there are five things that’ll kill you.”

Behind-the-scenes shots of the SA Police regional road safety campaign.

There also shorter videos depicting each of the fatal five in which the driver reveals their regret before a tarpaulin is placed over their bloodied body at the scene of the fatal crash.

Road Safety Minister Vincent Tarzia said it was shocking how many South Australians had lost their lives in crashes such short distances from their regional homes.

“The tragic truth is that country people lose their lives on country roads. Driving close to home does not guarantee your safety in the regions,” Mr Tarzia said.

“Complacency has crept in for some but we can reverse bad driving habits while saving lives and preventing serious injuries on our roads.

“We ask that every road user stop, listen and digest the confronting content of this new campaign. If just one life is saved, then it has done its job.”

The campaign runs until the middle of November and returns in April 2022.