Council's road safety strategy to reduce deaths by 35%

TOOWOOMBA Council will mark Fatality Free Friday in the knowledge its strategic approach to road safety is paying dividends and contributing to saving lives.

TOOWOOMBA Council will mark this year's Fatality Free Friday in the knowledge its strategic approach to road safety is paying dividends and contributing to saving lives.

Council is one of the major supporters of the Fatality Free Friday event which raises awareness of road safety across Australia and in 2011 committed to a Regional Road Safety Strategy aiming to reduce the average number of fatal crashes across the region's road network by 35% by 2016.

Mayor Paul Antonio said the region's fatality rate from 2003 to 2008 was 3.18 fatalities per 100,000 head of population.

"Our new strategy set a target of two fatalities per 100,000 between 2011 and 2015. We've nearly achieved our goal as the rate currently sits at 2.2 per 100,000," Cr Antonio said.

"That is one less life lost due to a fatal traffic crash each year. We're heading in the right direction.

"Council's strategic focus on road safety is truly making a difference.

"Council has secured $11.3 million in the past four years to address known road black spots across the region.

"These funds are spent on upgrading the top 16 areas for crashes according to our road data.

"We also are investing in road education programs and over the course of this strategy the number of students undertaking road safety training has increased from 800 to more than 2000 each year.

"Road safety is a complex issue and it is impossible to find one single key to reduce road trauma.

"Better drivers, better roads and targeted enforcement are all part of the road safety puzzle. We all have to work on this issue together."

TRC Infrastructure Services committee chair and Deputy Mayor Carol Taylor said the council would join forces with the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the Queensland Police Service again this year to raise awareness of road safety through the Fatality Free Friday campaign tomorrow.

"The Fatality Free Friday event is held every year when we try to highlight road safety messages around the Fatal Five - speeding, drink and drug driving, fatigue, inattention and wearing seat belts - which contribute to most of our fatal road crashes," Cr Taylor said.

"It's not about being careful one day of the year as road safety is something we need to be aware of every time we take to the road. This is about initiating longer term community change in regards to driver behavior and attitudes on the road," she said.

A free sausage sizzle and road safety display will be held at St Luke's Anglican Church on the corner of Herries and Ruthven Sts on May 27 at 11.30am to mark Fatality Free Friday.

Originally published as Council's road safety strategy to reduce deaths by 35%