Community News

Gulaptis calls on people power to reduce road crashes

The NSW Government has embarked on a month long public campaign to reduce the rural road toll and Clarence Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis is calling on local people power to make Clarence and Richmond Valley roads safer for everyone.

“We have had more than our fair share of road tragedies in our local area, so the Government campaign is welcome but will only work if local motorists get on board,” Mr Gulaptis said.

“Speeding, driving when tired, using a mobile phone or under the influence of drugs or alcohol costs lives at worst, but can also cost you your licence and your livelihood, so it makes sense to rethink our approach to driving.”

Mr Gulaptis said local motorists should back the NSW Government’s partnership with the Australian Road Safety Foundation and the Australian Government as part of Rural Road Safety Month.

“Official stats tell us drivers are more likely to undertake risky behaviour on regional roads because they believe they’re either less likely to get caught or because they believe they know the road like the back of their hand,” Mr Gulaptis said.

“But the reality is country roads account for more than two-thirds of all fatalities and more than one-third of all serious injuries on NSW roads.”

In 2018, 241 people needlessly died on NSW country roads.

Rural Road Safety Month runs for the duration of August and is a national awareness campaign promoting regional and rural road safety month.

More information can be found on the Australian Road Safety Foundation’s web site, www.arsf.com.au