Not everyone drives as well as you this Christmas
23rd December, 2009
With the official national Christmas holiday road toll period underway, the Liberal and Nationals Coalition has urged motorists to travel safely this Christmas.Remember that while you may be an excellent driver, others on the road are not.
“Almost everyone believes they are above average in skills and experience, but the statistics suggest accidents still happen,” said Shadow Transport Minister and Leader of The Nationals, Warren Truss.
“The Christmas - New Year period is not the time to test the issue. Drive to the conditions and the rules, and be aware that more people are on the roads than normal, often travelling long distances to see family and friends.”
As the Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, and the Australian Automobile Association point out, almost 1400 people have died on our roads so far this year – up 6 percent on the corresponding period in 2008.
This is a worrying sign. For some years, Australia was on track to meet a target to reduce fatalities on our roads by 40 percent over the decade, but the trend downwards has been flattening out.
Australia should play a larger international leadership role. Last month, Australia sent one public servant to the First United Nations Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Moscow.
That paltry contribution compares with the 114 sent to the Copenhagen climate change talks.
This summit supported a global Decade of Action on Road Safety from next year. It aims to stabilise the annual world road death toll of 1.3 million and then reduce it by 2020, primarily through safer road design.
Mr Truss appealed to motorists to drive carefully and cautiously over the days ahead and arrive at their destinations relaxed and safe.
