Driving down the local road toll will be the focus of a renewed partnership involving the Independent and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC).
The Independent and other regional Victorian newspapers will spearhead an on-going TAC campaign targeting country roads.
Regional media had a “major role to play in Victoria’s march toward zero road deaths and serious injuries”, said TAC boss Joe Calafiore at the partnership renewal launch last Friday.
Regional Victorians were four times more likely to die and 40 per cent more likely to suffer serious injury in road accidents than Melbourne residents, he said.
“Regional communities understand all too well the devastating impacts of road trauma so it’s essential we do everything we can to keep road safety in the minds of country Victorians.”
The TAC’s Talk the Toll Down partnership with 65 regional newspapers was launched four years ago in Ballarat.
Mr Calafiore said the TAC’s successful Talk the Toll Down campaign in regional Victoria would continue indefinitely under a new name, Towards Zero.
The revised campaign encouraged Victorians to consider how losing loved ones would affect their families and to aim for a future without death and serious injuries on Victorian roads, he said.
“Towards Zero sets an ambitious target but unless we’re aiming towards zero we’re saying to ourselves that we accept people will die or be badly hurt just because they use our roads. We can never accept that.”
Mr Calafiore said road users would always make mistakes but the goal of Towards Zero could be achieved with a safer road system.
“We’re working with our road safety partners and the Victorian Government to create a safer, more forgiving road system that will cushion people from death or serious injury when a mistake is made.”
Independent managing editor Tony Galpin welcomed the ambitious Towards Zero campaign.
“Joe noted at the launch that some people regarded the concept of a zero road toll as unachievable but, as he explained, it’s right as an aspirational target for Victoria,” Mr Galpin said.
“With new and emerging vehicle technology, continuing road-safety improvements and a greater acceptance of safe road-use practices, regional Victorians really can work towards zero.
“The price of denying this goal is just too high to accept.”
