Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) is reminding residents to observe the 2025 National Road Safety Week pledge: To Drive so Others Survive.
Toowoomba Region Mayor Cr Geoff McDonald is calling on all residents to heed the safety message to prevent unavoidable death and injury across the road network.
"The message is not new, but we must constantly remind ourselves and each other about adhering to safe driving behaviour and respecting the road rules," Mayor McDonald said of the National Road Safety Week campaign that runs to Sunday (May 18).
"Council and every agency supporting this campaign is committed to saving lives and reducing road accident injuries that cause untold grief and have a huge financial and social cost to our community.
"Improving driver behaviour is critical. I encourage everyone to assess their own habits and focus their full attention on the road.
"Drivers also need to pay extra attention to hazards on the roads. We've seen too many fatal accidents in our Region and across the state this year already, which must be addressed."
TRC Transport and Drainage Planning portfolio spokesperson Cr Trevor Manteufel said Council's Toowoomba Region Road Safety Strategy 2024-2028 was designed to achieve a safer road environment and encourage safer road user behaviour.
"With a Council network of nearly 6,700km of sealed and unsealed roads, the safety and wellbeing of all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, is a high priority," Cr Manteufel said.
"Always focus on the fatal five: avoid driver distractions, avoid speeding, drink and drug driving, wear a seat belt and never drive when tired."
TRC Construction and Maintenance (Infrastructure Services) portfolio spokesperson Cr Carol Taylor said the national campaign was a reminder that we all have collective and individual responsibilities as road users, whether we are pedestrians, cyclists, public transport passengers, motorcyclists or motorists.
"Road safety is a shared responsibility. Please remember to avoid taking risks behind the wheel as you not only endanger your own life, but the lives of passengers, other motorists and road users around you," Cr Taylor said.
"Council is committed to improving road safety through better engineering on our road projects and advocating for road safety education and enforcement, in addition to investigating new technologies to improve road management and safety.
"Council will keep advocating to state and federal governments to reverse the reduction in road funding in real terms for regional and rural roads. Increasing funding for road infrastructure projects is vital to keep pace with higher traffic volumes and community expectations.
"Council's capital works program invests in projects that enhance safety and improve traffic flow for all road users across our Region's extensive road networks.
"Council applies for available road funding grants, including allocations under the federally funded Black Spot program, which delivers projects that reduce the incidence and severity of road traffic crashes.
"This includes Black Spot projects that will start in the 2025-2026 financial year:
• Drayton Road and South Street intersection, South Street and West Street intersection and the Bridge Street and West Street intersection (all three projects involve traffic light changes; with additional raised pedestrian crossings and slip lanes on the Bridge Street and West Street intersection);
• minor widening and improved signs and lines on the Gowrie-Lilyvale Road project, and
• footpath, traffic islands, sign and line improvements at the Platz Street-Wuth Street project at Darling Heights.
"We also work collaboratively with TMR and the Police and thank all emergency services agencies for the work they perform around the clock to keep our community safe."
National Road Safety Week 2025, May 11-18
National Road Safety Week is an annual initiative from the Safer Australian Roads and Highway (SARAH) Group, partnering with government and road safety advocates to highlight the effects of road trauma and ways to reduce it.
Take the Pledge - Lead the way: Lead the pledge to drive so others survive and sign up online at www.roadsafetyweek.com.au
