A Transport Accident Commission’s (TAC) Be Present road show will remind Geelong carollers this Saturday of the most important gift they can give – staying alive.
The TAC will join local icon Denis Walter at Carols by the Bay, urging revellers to plan their travels with loved ones in mind.
“This Christmas, let’s all look out for our friends and family and share the responsibility for keeping each other safe,” said TAC’s Samantha Cockfield.
The roadshow will also give carollers an opportunity to create personalised Christmas road safety messages on cards with photographs for family and friends.
Ms Cockfield said the TAC was reaching out to all Victorians during the roadshow’s tour of Victorian carols-by-candlelight.
Fatal accidents over Christmas tended to involve rural locations, high-speed zones and single-vehicle crashes, she said.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau research has found that more passengers, women and children under-15 die on roads during the festive season.
“It’s a busy time on our roads and there are a lot of people travelling longer distances than they may be used to and often on unfamiliar roads,” Ms Cockfield said.
She urged travellers to plan rest stops and adequate sleep.
Ms Cockfield said December also meant lots of work break-ups, Christmas parties and other functions often involving alcohol.
“It can often be difficult to keep track of how much alcohol you’ve consumed, so the only safe option is to totally separate drinking from driving.
“If you know you’re going to be consuming any alcohol, you need to plan a safe way home.”
