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MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
(PDF version)
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Bev Brock Becomes First Patron of Fatality Free Friday

Bev Brock, partner for 28 years of motor racing legend Peter Brock has accepted the role of patron of Fatality Free Friday, Australia’s only national community road safety program.

Fatality Free Friday will be held on Friday, May 22.

“We’re absolutely honoured and delighted to have Bev on board as our patron,” said Russell White, founder of fatality Free Friday and one of Australia’s leading driver trainers.

“Not only was she a suppor ter and influence in the driver awareness work undertaken by Peter Brock over many years but also today, Bev is very actively involved in mentoring and teaching life skills.

“Life skills, such as situational awareness and being aware of how our actions effect other people, are at the heart of the Fatality Free Friday philosophy.

“Sadly, in our day-to-day live s when someone gets distracted or make poor choices, (and) it is in that split second tragedy happens.

“Fatality Free Friday is designed to get people thinking consciously about their road use for just one day, which hopefully will increase their awareness for every day.”

Bev said she was pleased to support Fatality Free Friday as a way of furthering Peter Brock’s legacy of encouraging better driving.

The Australian Touring Car champion died in September, 2006 during a rally event in Western Australia.

“If my support can further Peter’s legacy and cause a single person to rethink a potentially poor choice or to remind them that when they’re behind the wheel, they’re 100% responsible for their action, then I’m very pleased to do it,” she said.

“ We have to be creative in our approach to reducing the road toll.

“This is an issue we’d dearly love to see fixed and Fatality Free Friday is an excellent way of reminding people about what they can do to save a life.”

Fatality Free Friday 2009 marks the third year of the campaign and has attracted wide range of commercial sponsors and supporters including Isuzu Ute, Tyres & More, Suncorp Insurance, Armor All, 4BC and the Motorama Group.

Unlike other road safety campaigns, Fatality Free Friday offered direct and tangible participation.

“We’re encouraging businesses, families, schools and community groups to download a pledge form from our web site and sign it and encourage other people to sign it too,” said Russell.

“This year we’ve added more to the web site including puzzles and games to encourage children to play their part.

“There are also a range of activities that we are undertaking in the build up to the May 22. This will include a convoy on the day itself as well as school visits.

“We’re also welcoming community organisations who want to hold a special event to raise awareness of road safety.”

The initiative was awarded a highly commended at the 2007 Queensland Road Safety Awards and was a finalist in the 2008 awards.

Side Bar Information:

It’s hard to steer around facts like these.

• More than 1600 Australians are killed on our roads each year.
• The economic cost to Australia of road trauma is $17,000,000,000 ($17 billion).
• 1.2 million people are killed on the world’s roads every year.
• An estimated 50,000,000 are injured worldwide.
• The most deadly time of day to be on the road is between 3pm and 5pm.
• 95% of road crashes are caused by human error.
• It’s estimated deaths and injuries will increase 65% by 2020.
• The worst year on Australia’s roads was 1970 when 3798 people died. Australia’s population in 1970 was only 12.6 million. That’s 30.4 deaths per 100,000.
• The National Road Safety Strategy issued in 2000 set a target of reducing road deaths to 5.6 per 100,000 by December 2010.
• India is the deadliest country in which to drive. In 2007 more than 130,000 Indian nationals died on their roads

# ENDS

Note to Editors: Russell White and Bev Brock are available for interview via the contact details below:

Russell White
Mobile: 0419 866 165
E-mail: info@driversafety.com.au

Jacqui Carling-Rodgers
Business Communications Management
Phone: (07) 5591 8081
Mobile: 0414 282 048

2008 Archive

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Fatality Free Friday 2008 a success and plans begin for ‘09

Fatality Free Friday 2008 has been hailed a success with fewer deaths on the roads on Friday, May 16 than the statistical average.

Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory were completely fatality free on the day.

“Unfortunately there were three road fatalities in Victoria and one in New South Wales,” said Russell White, founder of Fatality Free Friday.

“Overall with 6 out of the 8 states recording a zero road toll we feel that we are progressing towards our goal. However the result vividly demonstrates that there is a lot of work that still needs to be done to encourage people to be more aware of the hazards on the road and to take responsibility for their actions behind the wheel.

The nation got right behind Fatality Free Friday with awareness campaigns including an event with radio station 4BC in which a police car stopped drivers to reward them for good driving.

“We were delighted to see the number of companies, community groups, governments and emergency services get behind Fatality Free Friday,” he said.

“They encouraged people to sign the pledge as well as organised their own awareness campaigns.

“This is what we had always envisaged Fatality Free Friday to be – a focal point on which individuals and groups made their own stand on reducing road trauma.

“For instance Working Against Culpable Driving in Victoria held information displays in shopping centres, the NRL’s Scott Prince, co-captain of the Gold Coast Titans shared his story and local government authorities across the country pledged their public support.”

Planning for Fatality Free Friday 2009 has already started with the team already at work to launch Fatality Free Friday in the UK later this year.

“As always, we wouldn’t be able to do this without the support of our generous sponsors who have given their time, encouragement as well as their financial contribution,” said Russell.

Fatality Free Friday 2008 sponsors are Suncorp, Armor All, Energex, The Suttons Group, 4BC, Harrier National, Driver Safety.com.au. Business Communications Management, CheckItOut.com.au, Toll Ipec, Queensland Rail, The Zupps Group, Auto Corner, Tony Ireland Townsville, Andersons Auto City, Australian Insurance Holdings, The Motorama Group, Telstra, Moreton Bay Regional Council.

In its first year, Fatality Free Friday received a highly commended at the 2007 CARRS-Q’s 2007 Queensland Road Safety Awards.

Over the next few weeks Fatality Free Friday web site will be updated with images and stories from this year’s campaign. Groups and companies wanting to know more or wishing to become involved can get all the details from www.fatalityfreefriday.com.

#ends

Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Australians urged to take the pledge for a Fatality Free Friday

More Australians than ever are expected to take the pledge to cut the road toll as part of the national 2008 Fatality Free Friday campaign launched this week.

Fatality Free Friday will be held on Friday May 16 with the aim of making that day completely free from road fatalities.

Last year community groups, state and local governments, companies, individuals and even Australia’s V8 Supercar drivers signed the pledge to concentrate on safe driving and road use for the day.

The initiative was awarded a highly commended at the 2007 Queensland Road Safety Awards.

This year, community, government and corporate participation ahead of the Fatality Free Friday launch has been overwhelmingly positive, said Russell White, campaign founder and leading road safety advocate.

“Last year we started with the idea that if we could get people to reflect on their road use for just one day – whether as driver, passenger or pedestrian – we could ensure that no one died on our roads,” he said.

“On average, six people die every Friday on our roads and the vast majority of those deaths are entirely preventable.

“The grassroots community support we received last year was tremendous. Just as encouraging were the people asking if they could be involved next year too.”

Increased corporate support for the 2008 campaign means a greater capacity to promote Fatality Free Friday nationally. Suncorp Metway, Armor All, Queensland Rail, The Zupps Group, Moreton Bay Regional Council and The Motorama Group are among the first organisations to sign on as an Alliance Partner.

“We’re encouraging everyone to mark Friday, May 16 in their calendar and look at ways they can involve their work places, schools, homes and communities in local and regional activities,” said Russell.

The Fatality Free Friday web site - www.fatalityfreefriday.com - has been set up to provide information for adults and children about staying safe on the roads and also encourage people to organise road safety events in their own community.

The web site also contains copies of the pledge for adults, children and companies to print out and sign to show their commitment to the day, as well as guestbook that allows visitors to take the pledge online.

2 November 2007
Road safety program receives Queensland Award

	Above: Fatality Free Friday founder Russell White with the Queensland MP Di Reilly and Chairman of the Travelsafe Committee Jim Pearce (right) at the Queensland Road Safety Awards.

Fatality Free Friday, the Gold Coast road safety initiative that attracted international interest in April this year, received a highly commended recognition in the community initiative category of the 2007 Queensland Road Safety Awards.

The award was presented at a ceremony held at Queensland Parliament House attended by Queensland Transport Minister John Mickel and CARRS-Q director Professor Mary Sheehan, AO and nominees throughout Queensland.

“I’m absolutely delighted especially since Fatality Free Friday is just in its first year,” said Russell White, one of Australia’s leading road safety advocates.

Fatality Free Friday created public awareness for road safety and encouraged people to stay alive on the day.

“The event is a fresh approach to help reduces road trauma,” he said. “The concept clearly resinates with the community and showed that we can make a difference.”

State and local governments in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia threw their support behind the event as did the V8 Supercars and Radio 4BC.

“Fatality Free Friday was recognised as being a simple and innovative program that has the opportunity to grow into a significant national event in future years,” said Russell.

“Just as gratifying were the number of people who were keen to include Fatality Free Friday as part of their own community’s road safety initiatives and that was exactly the outcome we were hoping for.”

“Everyone behind this year’s event is excited about our award and are keen to make Fatality Free Friday an even greater event in 2008. In fact we are already getting a number of enquires for people and organisations wanting to know how they can be involved.”

In 2008 Fatality Free Friday is to be held on Friday May 16.

The Queensland Road Safety Awards are an initiative of QUT’s Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety - Queensland (CARRS-Q) and commenced in 2000.

The Awards are designed to recognise and honour the outstanding efforts of community groups, companies or industry groups, schools, local government and state government initiatives, as well as inventions and innovations designed to improve road safety.

18 April 2007
V8 Supercars rev up for Fatality Free Friday

Australia's best racing car drivers will be shining a light on road safety at the Placemakers V8 International in New Zealand on Sunday.

The entire V8 Supercar Championship Series field will turn on their headlights for the formation lap to highlight the national road safety initiative Fatality Free Friday and the “Lights on for Safety” campaign.

Fatality Free Friday will take place next Friday (April 27) and aims to end in a zero road toll across Australia for a 24 hour period.

Fatality Free Friday founder and leading road safety expert Russell White said it was exciting to get the backing of Australia's top racing car drivers and V8 Supercars Australia.

It is also part of an ongoing push by V8 Supercars Australia to engage the best and safest drivers in the country – its’ own drivers – to play an active and leading part in promoting road safety all-year round.

"We're asking people to sign a pledge to concentrate on safe driving and road use for the day which includes switching on your lights for safety," Mr White said.

"When the entire field of V8 Supercar drivers come around on their warm-up lap for the third and final V8 Supercar race at Pukekohe, they'll switch on their lights to remind everyone to drive safely on April 27.

"It should be quite a sight."

Mr White said the drivers will also sign copies of the Fatality Free Friday pledge (see pledge below) during an autograph session in Auckland tomorrow (Thursday).

"It's fantastic to get their support," he said.

"Safety and concentration are paramount in motor racing and we need to encourage ordinary drivers to apply that level of commitment to the street.

“If we can drive to stay alive for just one day, then perhaps we can start thinking consciously about driving safely every day of the year.”

The Queensland-born Fatality Free Friday concept has already caught on internationally with an American Fatality Free Friday to be staged on May 25, centred on Las Vegas.

Fatality Free Friday in Australia coincides with the first United Nations Global Road Safety Week from April 23-29.

“The UN recognises the fact that road traffic injuries and deaths are a major global health problem, “said Mr White.

“In Australia, around 1600 people die every year on the roads. A zero road toll for one Friday would, statistically, save five to six lives.

“It doesn’t sound a lot but it would be a great start.”

A special website – www.fatalityfreefriday.com - has been set up to provide information for adults and children about staying safe on the roads and also encourage people to organise road safety events in their own community.

The website also contains copies of the pledge for adults, children and companies to print out and sign to show their commitment to the day, as well as guestbook that allows visitors to take the pledge online.

Mr White, a driver trainer for more than 17 years, has contributed to state government policy on training and licensing requirements for young drivers.

He has also taken part in groundbreaking university research on mobile phone use and driver stability.

He said while advances in road design and vehicle safety have made a significant contribution to reducing the road toll, training and attitude have yet to be properly addressed on a wide scale.

“Fatality Free Friday represents a fresh approach in dealing with what is a complex issue. By focusing public attention on road safety for one specific day, I hope to encourage all road users to think and drive safely all year round.”

Around Australia, Fatality Free Friday is being supported by government at all levels, with local councils staging road safety days and businesses small and large 'taking the pledge'.

#ends

27 February 2007
Australians urged to take a road safety pledge

Australians are being urged to ‘take the pledge’ on 27 April but it’s not a promise to give up drinking – it’s a promise to ‘drive to stay alive’.

The date is the first ‘Fatality Free Friday’, which aims to see a zero road toll for 24 hours, and people are being asked to sign a pledge to concentrate on safe driving and road use for the day.

Event organiser and leading road safety expert Russell White hopes it will become an annual event.

“If we can drive to stay alive for just one day, then perhaps we can start thinking consciously about driving safely every day of the year,” he said.

Fatality Free Friday coincides with the first United Nations Global Road Safety Week from 23-29 April.

“The UN recognises the fact that road traffic injuries and deaths are a major global health problem, “said Mr White.

“In Australia, around 1600 people die every year on the roads. A zero road toll for one Friday would, statistically, save five to six lives.

“It doesn’t sound a lot but it would be a great start.”

A special website – www.fatalityfreefriday.com - has been set up to provide information for adults and children about staying safe on the roads and also encourage people to organise road safety events in their own community.

The website also contains copies of the pledge for adults, children and companies to print out and sign to show their commitment to the day, as well as guestbook that allows visitors to take the pledge online.

Mr White, a driver trainer for more than 16 years, has contributed to state government policy on training and licensing requirements for young drivers.

He has also taken part in groundbreaking research with Queensland's Griffith University on mobile phone use and driver stability.

He said while advances in road design and vehicle safety have made a significant contribution to reducing the road toll, a vital piece of the puzzle is still missing.

“I believe this is a combination of training and attitude,” he said.

“Fatality Free Friday represents a fresh approach in dealing with what is a complex issue. By focusing public attention on road safety for one specific day, I hope to encourage all road users to think and drive safely all year round.”

#Ends