August marks Rural Road Safety Month encouraging local drivers to put their safety first when in comes to using our regional roads.
Each year, more than 1,200 people are killed on Australian roads, two-thirds of which occur in regional and rural areas.
The rate of serious road-related injuries among residents in rural areas is nearly twice that of those in major cities.
Speed limits, wildlife and road quality often cops the brunt of the blame for the alarming comparisons however new research suggest our attitude plays a bigger role then we think.
One in three Australians admit that they’re more likely to break a road law when driving on a rural road with half of those admitting it’s simply because the risk of getting caught is lower.
CEO of the Australian Road Safety Foundation Russell White says that type of thinking needs to change.
“It really comes down to their (rural drivers) own personal ownership of road safety and taking some personal responsibility.” White said.
“We’re employing every single road user but certainly the local drivers to make a choice and choose road safety”.
The Australian Road Safety Foundation is a not for profit organisation dedicated to reducing road fatalities and injuries.
For more information about the foundation or Rural Road Safety Month visit: https://arsf.com.au/
