visit raa.com.au
Today we take a moment to remember all people killed and seriously injured on the roads as part of the United Nations’ World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR).
There were 99 fatalities and 894 serious injuries on South Australian roads last year.
RAA Senior Manager Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain shared his condolences to anyone who has been impacted by road trauma.
“Today we reflect that our road statistics are not just numbers, but mothers, sons, sisters, nephews and friends. Every life lost and serious injury on our roads has a huge impact not just on the people directly affected but the whole community.”
To help improve road safety knowledge and behaviours RAA invests resources into a wide range of education programs that helps keeps South Australians of all ages safe from children all the way through to seniors.
“Our team of road safety experts and educators work directly with individuals, schools, community groups and retirement villages to give people the skills and knowledge they need to stay safe on the roads,” Mr Mountain said.
RAA’s Street Smart Preschool, Primary and Highschool programs provide road safety education to thousands of South Australian students every year. We also support young people getting their license with professional driving instructors through our Licence to Work program and our Years’ Ahead program providers older drivers with support and education.
There are some encouraging signs that road safety initiatives are having a positive impact, with SAPOL data showing a reduction in fatalities and serious injury crashes on SA roads this year, compared to the same time in 2021.
“Although it’s promising there’s been a reduction in lives lost and serious injury crashes on SA roads this year, even one life lost is one too many which is why we will continue to provide education and strongly advocate for policies and infrastructure that improve road safety,” Mr Mountain said.
Read samotor’s Faces of road trauma articleThe World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR) is commemorated on the third Sunday of November each year and has become an important tool in global efforts to reduce road casualties.
As every year, the objectives of WDR 2022 provide a platform for road traffic victims and their families to:
If you or a loved one has experienced road trauma and want to talk, reach out to the Road Trauma of South Australia for its free counselling service or call 0400 705 066.