Day: 20 January 2020

Slowing down saves lives

Speed is the biggest single danger on NSW roads, contributing to about 40 per cent of road fatalities each year. International and Australian research shows that even small reductions in vehicle speed can reduce the number of deaths and the severity of injuries caused by crashes. A small decrease in vehicle speed can make a big difference to your chances of survival.

If a car hits a pedestrian at 50 km/h the pedestrian is twice as likely to die than if the driver had been travelling at 40 km/h. For every extra kilometre per hour of speed:

• The stopping distance increases
• The time to react and avoid a crash decreases
• The impact of a crash is more severe on the vehicle, driver, passengers and pedestrians
• There is more likelihood of serious injury or death

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Don’t drink and drive

You need to plan ahead to get home safely after a night out – if you’ve been drinking, don’t drive.

Positive choices

The Plan B drink driving campaign began in August 2012. It is about making positive choices to get home safely after a night out, highlighting that driving is not an option. With practical options to avoid drink driving, Plan B takes a humorous and positive approach designed to engage the community about making alternative arrangements to get home after a night out. The campaign emphasises that police mobile random breath testing (RBT) operations can happen anytime, anywhere.

Drink driving behaviour

Drink driving is one of the biggest causes of death and injury on NSW roads. In 2011, there were 70 people killed and 1182 people injured in crashes involving drivers who were over the legal blood alcohol limit. Men make up 87 per cent of drink drivers involved in fatal crashes.

• Plan ahead on how to get home after a night out
• Some Plan B’s are smarter than others
• What’s your Plan B?
• Drink and drive, and you will face the consequences
• RBT means you need a Plan B