Footy fanatics in Hume and Whittlesea travelling to South Australia for the AFL’s Gather Round are being urged to plan ahead and drive safely.
Adelaide will host every AFL game this weekend and footy fans from across Victoria are expected to take advantage of the school holidays and road trip across the border and home again.
The Transport Accident Commission is reminding people to avoid fatigue and make safe choices when using the roads leading into another busy, high-risk period.
So far this year, 73 people have lost their lives on the state’s roads and 56 per cent (41) of those have been in regional Victoria.
The TAC will bring their Pause Stop campaign to the Green Lake Rest Area in Bungalally on Saturday to encourage drivers to take a break.
TAC chief executive Tracey Slatter said the round was an exciting time for football fans but it was important that everyone played their role while travelling on unfamiliar roads in regional Victoria.
“Football is all about team work on and off the field; we need everyone to look out for their mates and fellow road users this weekend and make safe choices on their journey,” Ms Slatter said.
“Fatigue is a major concern when travelling on Victoria’s regional roads because we’re often travelling long distances at high speeds and the only way to avoid tired driving is to be well rested, take regular breaks and switch drivers if possible,” she said.
TAC stats show that fatigued driving contributes to 16-20 per cent of all road crashes and falling asleep behind the wheel for just four seconds while travelling at 100km/h means a car will travel 111 metres.
“If you choose to travel by car to and from Gather Round remember that long journeys can be challenging. Don’t let your road trip end in tragedy this weekend, plan ahead and allow plenty of travel time, so you can enjoy the journey,” Ms Slatter said.
“To prevent yourself from losing concentration, take a break and change drivers, if you can. There are plenty of places to stop, rest and recharge before continuing to your destination,” she said.
“We all have a role to play in making sure everyone gets to their destination safely, that means avoiding distractions, slowing down and driving to conditions – there’s nothing more important than driving safely.”
The TAC will be at at the Green Lakes Rest Area Driver Reviver site in Bungalally on April 6 to offer free tea and coffee, and a free sausage sizzle for all passersby.
Local football and netball club Taylors Lake will be present helping with the sausage sizzle.
