Leaders unite to mark Fatality Free Friday

SEVEN Darling Downs families torn apart by road tragedies is too high a price to pay for unsafe or inattentive driving.

SEVEN Darling Downs families torn apart by road tragedies is too high a price to pay for unsafe or inattentive driving.

Despite injury crash rates dipping this year, the seven tragedies - and three people from our region killed in the past week - is far too many and the purpose behind Fatality Free Friday.

Toowoomba sisters Anjumol and Asha Mathew, and Oakey father Jayde Laine, died in two separate crashes in the past week.

Authorities marked the annual road safety awareness day at St Luke's Anglican Church today with a renewed pledge and focus to reduce fatalities.

BE FATALITY FREE: Making the pledge are (from left) Toowoomba Mayor Paul Antonio, Cr James O'Shea, Deputy Mayor Carol Taylor and Police Inspector Mike Curtin. Picture: Tara Miko

"We are fortunate this year in some regards (with) our injury crashes down 14 per cent which is pleasing but conversely, and tragically, we have lost seven lives on our roads in the Darling Downs police district," Darling Downs Inspector Mike Curtin said.

"Those three locals were all killed outside the Darling Downs but it doesn't matter," Insp. Curtin said.

"We're seeing deaths across Queensland and we don't need to."

Fatality Free Friday aims to put greater focus on road safety and in particular the fatal five.
 

Originally published as Leaders unite to mark Fatality Free Friday