Drive safe

The Queensland school holidays are upon us this weekend and the end of year countdown is on, bringing with it a sense of relief as people relax into the holiday period.

But it should also be a time for caution – particularly on our roads.

According to government figures, in the last six years 99 children aged 16 years and below have died on Queensland roads and a further 2976 were hospitalised in the same period.

These figures are unacceptably high and show there’s greater awareness needed for this vulnerable road user group.

But more importantly, preventing accidents from happening in the first place is key to reducing the road toll.

Younger children often aren’t paying attention to cars, act spontaneously and can be difficult to see, putting them more at risk when speed and distracted driving makes it difficult to stop in time.

As a local road safety advocate, I often see the devastating impacts that distracted driving has on families and the entire community.

It’s important we don’t allow the stresses people often feel during the festive season to negatively impact their driving behaviour.

With over 200 fatalities on Queensland roads this year alone, I urge all motorists to take extra care on the motorways so our loved ones can arrive home safely this holiday period.