By Natalee Kerr
Geelong will host one of eight “interactive” regional road safety forums next month in a bid to tackle the state’s surging road toll.
Locals will have the chance to share ideas on how to improve road safety and provide input to the Victorian government’s next four-year road safety strategy.
So far this year, 157 people have died on Victorian roads, a 57 per cent increase compared to the same time last year.
Ninety-five of those deaths have been on regional roads, compared with 52 this time last year.
Road Safety Minister Jaala Pulford said regional communities were significantly overrepresented in the road toll.
“Country people are dying on their local roads,” she said.
“More than two thirds of people killed on country Victorian roads this year, have died within 30km of their home.”
Seven deaths have occurred on Geelong roads since January, four more than the same time last year according to Transport Accident Commission data.
TAC senior engagement manager Meg Jacobs said the forums target areas that “represent the most serious road trauma in the state”.
“Geelong is a really central point that allows us to draw people from surrounding areas where incidents of road trauma is prevalent,” she said.
“Having this face-to-face interaction is very important, particularly in Geelong where demands have really changed.
“We’re seeing road safety issues in the region that weren’t there before.”
Ms Jacobs said the forum takes a “different” approach by putting the community at the forefront.
“We’re not coming in and saying this is what we think or this is what we are doing,” she said.
“Instead we’re reversing it, we’re developing a strategy and we want to get input from the community about it.
“We’re focused on talking one-on-one with the community, hearing their concerns, ideas and seeing what’s important to them.”
The Geelong forum will feature community leaders including local MP’s, emergency services representatives and Police and Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville.
The regional forums follow a Melbourne road safety summit held last May where road safety experts gathered to address the states road trauma.
Methods raised to combat the road toll included reducing speed limits on country roads from 100km/h to 80km/h and an automatic loss of licence for those caught using mobile phones.
The Towards Zero Regional Road Safety forum will be held on 21 August at GMHBA Stadium.
Visit tac.vic.gov.au/regional-road-safety-forum to pre-register for the event.
