- Western Australia hosting National Road Safety Week from 14 to 21 May 2023
- Approximately 1,200 people killed and more than 40,000 seriously injured on Australian roads each year
- ‘Road Safety Starts with Me’ Youth Summit to be held on Tuesday 16 May
- Community events to be held around the State
Road Safety Minister Paul Papalia today launched National Road Safety Week, kicking off seven days of road safety events and activities across the country.
Now in its 10th year, this annual event raises awareness of the impacts of road crashes on our community and promotes the importance of safe road use.
As host State for 2023, Western Australia has a full calendar of activities planned around the State, commencing with a thought-provoking event in Perth’s Forrest Place encouraging community members to plan to make it home to loved ones every journey as well as make a road safety pledge.
More than 40 iconic buildings and landmarks including Government House, Optus Stadium and the Matagarup Bridge will be illuminated in yellow in remembrance of the 1,200 lives lost and more than 40,000 people seriously injured on Australia’s roads each year.
The Busselton Cultural Precinct will be splashed yellow for a family Street Festival today and other free road safety activities throughout the week. A further 22 free road safety events will be held from Roebourne in the north to Denmark in the south. Community members are encouraged to get involved in the events, funded by over $90,000 in grants from the Road Safety Commission and the RAC.
Over 800 Year 10 to 12 students will attend the ‘Road Safety Starts with Me’ Youth Summit at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on Tuesday 16 May. The full-day Summit will include keynote presentations from people with lived experience of road trauma as well as interactive activities and breakout sessions dedicated to improving road safety behaviours among young adults.
The Summit has been tailored and taken on the road to regional WA. Successful events have recently been held in Albany, Geraldton and Narembeen, with a final Summit planned for Bunbury later this month.
Minister Papalia and Federal Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Carol Brown will co-host the first National Road Safety Ministers’ Meeting in Perth on Friday 19 May. The meeting will provide an important opportunity for collaboration and information-sharing across jurisdictions to improve safety on our roads and decrease serious injuries and fatalities.
Further information about National Road Safety Week is available on the Road Safety Commission website.
As stated by Road Safety Minister Paul Papalia:
“It is an honour for Western Australia to host National Road Safety Week 2023.
“National Road Safety Week is an opportunity to come together as a community and recognise those lost to and impacted by road trauma.
“Whether we are driving, riding or walking, we all have a role to play in road safety. This week is about raising awareness of our responsibilities as road users and providing practical advice to make every journey safe.
“This year’s line-up of events and activities will allow community members all over WA to get involved in National Road Safety Week and I am proud to offer young adults a bespoke learning and leadership opportunity through the ‘Road Safety Starts with Me’ Youth Summit.
“With two thirds of WA’s road deaths occurring in regional WA, I am pleased to see so many regional communities embracing National Road Safety Week as an opportunity to reduce the devastating impacts of road trauma.