TAC’s new road safety ads remind drivers of the simple errors driving up Victoria’s road toll

Basic errors are causing significantly more deaths on Victorian roads than illegal activity such as speeding, using a mobile phone incorrectly or drink driving.

Quirky animations are at the centre of TAC’s new road safety advertisements which remind drivers that simple mistakes often are the cause of fatal crashes.

The ads, to be launched on Wednesday, depict animated everyday items such as a mobile phone, a baby bottle and a tennis ball which highlight concentration lapses.

The commercials are part of an online push by the commission to alert drivers of tragic errors of judgment, especially with the Easter school holidays just over a week away.

Seven out of 10 road deaths in Victoria since 2017 were because of people making basic errors, rather than an illegal activity such as speeding, using a mobile phone incorrectly or drink driving.

Animated everyday items feature in the latest TAC road safety campaign.

So far this year 66 lives have been lost on the state’s roads, a 16 per cent increase on the 2021 toll by the same date.

The biggest increase by age is the 18 to 20 years group which has had 11 deaths this year, compared to none at the same time last year.

Most fatal accidents – about 61 per cent – have again occurred on rural roads.

Road Safety Minister Ben Carroll said it was tragic that small lapses in concentration

were responsible for so much heartache every year.

“Most Victorians do the right thing and don’t take risks when using the roads but if we can reduce the simple errors we are all susceptible to then we will see a rapid reduction in road trauma,” Mr Carroll said.

The new campaign urging motorists to avoid complacency behind the wheel follows the TAC’s hard-hitting Lucky Ones Get Caught advertisements and the Only Protected For A Moment motorcycle safety campaign.

Animations feature in the TAC online campaign.

TAC chief executive Joe Calafiore said the commission’s road user surveys and community feedback showed that most people thought they are good

drivers.

“But we know even the best drivers can be a split second away from the unthinkable happening.”

“This campaign is about acknowledging that road trauma doesn’t discriminate, and that we can all make Victoria’s roads safer for everyone by focusing on the task of driving.”

The state government’s Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 aims to halve the death toll and slash the number of serious injuries by 2030.