ISOBEL COLEMAN
Noosa Shire’s role in reducing road deaths in Queensland is just as crucial as any major city, according to Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith.
And although he is yet to visit Noosa, he is happy to be one of the state’s newest residents, having just moved from Perth to Queensland. Corporal Roberts-Smith is leading a major Queensland Police campaign to improve driver safety and reduce road deaths. His participation has been welcomed by Police Minister Jack Dempsey, who said he was thrilled that an Australian hero had backed the important life-saving initiative. But the facts behind the campaign are grim. The Central Region recorded the most deaths of any region in Queensland in 2013. Targetting the Fatal Five behaviours, Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart said the message was clear. “If you speed, drink drive, don’t pay attention, don’t wear a seatbelt or drive while tired you will not only be caught by police, but you risk your life and the life of every other road user – and that is not acceptable,” he said. “I am passionate about road safety. Road trauma has affected me like it has so many people in Australia. I understand what it’s like to lose mates to a road crash,” Roberts-Smith told Noosa Today. “It changes lives forever. The saddest and most frustrating thing is that many of these deaths and injuries are preventable. “Noosa has a part to play in road safety. Due to road crashes, almost 300 people are killed on Queensland roads and on average a further 6500 people are hospitalised each year. This campaign is aimed at forging strong partnerships across the whole community in recognising our shared responsibility in preventing road trauma – all road trauma.”
