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Last Updated: Thursday, 29 May 2025 10:18

Published: Thursday, 29 May 2025 10:18

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) today (Thursday, May 29, 2025) reaffirmed its commitment to the Australian Road Safety Foundation’s (ARSF) Fatality Free Friday campaign motto, ‘It’s time for change – road safety needs you’.

Fatality Free Friday (Friday, May 30, 2025) is an ARSF community effort targeted to achieve a fatality free Friday for one day across the whole country. It is an initiative of ARSF founder and current chair, Russell White.

Since its inception in 2007, the campaign has continued to expand its operation and is recognised as Australia’s only national, community-based road safety program.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Cr Geoff McDonald said Council was pleased to renew its pledge and determined to raise road safety awareness and work toward saving lives on our roads.

“Fatality Free Friday sharpens our focus on collective and individual responsibilities for all road users – including pedestrians, cyclists, public transport passengers, motorcyclists and motorists – so we’re very proud to be supporting this initiative,” Mayor McDonald said.

“The cost of fatal crashes and other accidents equates to tens of millions of dollars across the Darling Downs Police District alone annually when calculating community costs, let alone the family anguish and emotional trauma that is caused in our community through each death or serious injury.”

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 Council and its road safety partners were asking all road users to give their full attention to the road and surrounding conditions on every journey.

“There is no room for complacency. Please remember to avoid taking risks behind the wheel as you not only endanger your own life, but the lives of your 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 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.”

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 the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the Police and thank all emergency services agencies for the work they perform around the clock to keep our community safe,” Cr Taylor said.

Background: The Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving road safety outcomes and reducing the rates of death and the mental and physical injuries that result from road crashes.

The campaign is more than a single day. While the target is to have a fatality free Friday, ultimately it aims for longer term community change in driver behaviour.

For more information about Fatality Free Friday, please visit: https://arsf.com.au/