Community urged to target record monthly road toll

29 May 2009

MEDIA RELEASE: 29th May 2009

The TAC is urging the Victorian community to drive safely this weekend and help reach the target of the lowest monthly road toll since records began.

So far this month 15 people have died on our roads*. This is the lowest number of road deaths in a calendar month, since records started in 1951.

The TAC’s Community Relations Executive Manager Philip Reed said after 695 months of records, it was a significant statistic.

"The lowest ever monthly road toll was 17, in September 1994 and November 2005," Mr Reed said.

"The previous lowest figure for May was a loss of 25 people on our roads in 2008," Mr Reed said.

"The lower number of fatalities this month is a reflection on the Victorian community, showing that many people are heeding the road safety message and that enforcement and education campaigns are having an impact."

"But 15 families are still left grieving for their loved ones and there are many more people dealing with serious injuries caused by road trauma, just in the month of May."

"I urge the Victorian community to keep this in mind on the roads this weekend, drive safely and let’s not see any more lives lost on our roads this month."

So far this year 124 people have died on our roads, compared to 134 at this time last year.

"Everyone using our roads, driver, motorcyclist, passenger and pedestrian, has a responsibility to use the roads safely and help keep the road toll down," Mr Reed said.