National Road Safety Week 2020 is being launched to coincide with United Nations World Day of Remembrance for Road Victims on Sunday.
The Yellow Ribbon National Road Safety Week – running from 15-22 November – is intended to raise public awareness about the level of road trauma, and to improve outcomes.
While road deaths and serious injuries have decreased in numbers in the past decade, road trauma continues to have a devastating impact on Australian families and communities.
Last year, nearly 1200 people lost their lives in road crashes, and 44,000 more were seriously injured. Nationally, there were 53 more deaths from road crashes in 2019 than in the year before.
NRSW organisers say the event creates an opportunity for local governments to raise awareness of their commitment to road safety, and to show other organisations how to contribute to meeting the goal of zero road deaths and serious injuries.
Low-cost initiatives that councils may consider to demonstrate their support include:
- Encouraging communities to observe a minute’s silence at 12pm on Sunday 15 November to acknowledge and support the victims, families and friends of road trauma;
- Displaying the colour yellow, and the yellow ribbon (Australia’s road safety symbols) on fleet vehicles to demonstrate a commitment to protecting road users;
- Lighting buildings or corporate icons in yellow, and their subsequent promotion as National Road Safety Week symbols; and
- Using the phrases “Supporter of 2020 Yellow Ribbon National Road Safety Week – 15 to 22 November 2020” and “Drive So Others Survive!” in signature blocks, media promotion, web sites, posters, and other promotional activities.
Digital resources are available here.