It’s National Road Safety Week: 14-21 May 2023 | Your Full Guide

It’s National Road Safety Week: 14-21 May 2023!

This annual initiative was established by the President of the Safer Australian Roads And Highways (SARAH) Group, Mr Peter Frazer, in partnership with road safety organisations and governments.

The QLD Department of Transport & Main Roads is a proud government partner who has supported Yellow Ribbon Road Safety Week since it started in May 2013.

With your help, we can encourage ALL Queenslanders to drive so others survive…

Every year, more than 1,200 people are killed and 44,000 seriously injured on Australian Roads.

National Road Safety Week honours those we have lost and pledges to make the roads safer for everyone.

Take a road safety pledge today: Make every journey safe!

#NRSW2023 #DriveSOS #roadsafety #StreetSmartsQLD

The aim of National Road Safety Week is to:

  • Remember the approximately 1,200 people who lose their life, and the 44,000 seriously injured, in road crashes on Australian roads each year.
  • Encourage people to take a pledge to #DriveSoOthersSurvive
  • Promote the theme: Everyone has the right to get home safe.
  • Promote the aim of reducing lives lost and injured on our roads by changing our driver behaviour.
  • Encourage communities to get involved, to promote National Road Safety Week, and advocate for safe behaviours on our roads and paths, and in our school carparks.

Daily Themes

Each day during National Road Safety Week the focus will be on a different topic or community group affected by road trauma.

However, the overarching theme for the week remains: Everyone has the right to get home safe.

Sunday 14 May: Remember the 1,200.

Remember the lives lost on Australian roads each year.

Monday 15 May: Take a road safety pledge.

Make every journey safe.

Tuesday 16 May: Road safety for young people.

The younger you are, the longer we all must live with the effects of road trauma.

Road safety starts with me.

Wednesday 17 May: Slow down and give them space.

Protect those who are keeping us safe like road workers, emergency service crews and the police.

Thursday 18 May: How safe is my ride?

Think about safety when choosing a ride and experiencing a ride.

Wear seatbelts, helmets and protective gear.

Friday 19 May: Let’s all get home safe!

Be aware of others and Drive So Others Survive (#DriveSOS).

Saturday 20 May: Share the path.

Be safe, give them space: cyclists, pedestrians and personal mobility device users.

Sunday 21 May: Take care on regional roads.

Slow down, be alert, and drive to the conditions.

Pledge to: Drive So Others Survive

We ask communities to come together and make their pledge to ensure the roads are safe for everyone — To Drive So Others Survive #DriveSOS.

Find the National Road Safety Week posts and like, comment, or share to your business/organisation page or from your own personal account.

Sharing a personal experience can help others think about their own behaviour on the road.

Tag your posts with: #NRSW2023 #DriveSOS #roadsafety #StreetSmartsQLD

Sunday 14 May – Remember the 1,200
Today we ask you to remember the 1,200 people who lose their lives on Australian roads each year.

Landmarks around the country will be lit yellow in remembrance and to raise awareness of National Road Safety Week (14-21 May 2023).

We encourage you to wear a yellow ribbon to show your support.

Monday 15 May – Take a road safety pledge
Did you know more than 50,000 people have made a pledge to #DriveSoOthersSurvive?

The pledge is an initiative of National Road Safety Week (14-21 May 2023).

Pledging means you will drive as if your loved ones are on the road ahead, driving to protect vulnerable people travelling or working on our roadside, not putting others at risk by speeding, driving while tired or under the influence of alcohol/drugs, and never using a mobile phone while driving.

So, take the pledge and make every journey safe.

Tuesday 16 May – Road safety for young people
The National Road Safety Week (14-21 May 2023) theme for today is: Road safety for young people.

Getting a licence as a young person comes with great freedom, excitement, and responsibility.

Statistics show that when a learner driver first gets their P-plates, their risk of a serious crash is six times higher.

With parents being the biggest influence on how young drivers behave on the road, staying involved helps keep your P-plater safe.

Let them know you’ll still be in the passenger seat from time to time, and always model good driving behaviour if you’re behind the wheel.

Check out some other tips here.

Wednesday 17 May – Slow down and give them space
The National Road Safety Week (14-21 May 2023) theme for today is: Slow down and give them space.

A little courtesy on the road goes a long way to improving safety.

Whether you’re on two wheels, four wheels, or more, or on two legs – we are all responsible for keeping each other and ourselves safe on the road.

Basic actions such as letting others merge, leaving safe distances around trucks and cyclists, being aware of blind spots, and watching out for bicycle riders, motorcyclists, personal mobility device users, and pedestrians, have a big impact on everyone’s safety.

For more information on giving way, refreshing your road rules, avoiding tailgating, and sharing the road, please visit here.

Thursday 18 May – How safe is my ride?
Today’s National Road Safety Week (14-21 May 2023) theme is: How safe is my ride?

Make safety a top priority when purchasing a car.

You want the safest model you can afford, so if a car scores less than four stars (out of five stars), don’t take the risk.

Search for a safe car here within your budget, by price range or make and model, to compare each vehicle’s safety ratings – either by its Used Car Safety Rating (UCSR) or Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

Or if you ride a motorcycle, make sure you choose the right gear for your ride, and check out the motorcyclist’s maintenance guide and rider’s guide here.

Friday 19 May – Let’s all get home safe
Today’s National Road Safety Week (14-21 May 2023) theme is: Let’s all get home safe.

Emergency response workers put their lives at risk every day when working in roadside environments.

To keep them safe, laws require motorists to move over and slow down when passing a stationary emergency response vehicle displaying blue, red, magenta, or yellow flashing lights.

The penalty for not moving over and slowing down in Queensland is $431 and 3 demerit points.

So please drive safely so everyone can get home safely.

Saturday 20 May – Share the path
Today’s National Road Safety Week (14-21 May 2023) theme is: Share the path.

As pedestrians, we’re especially vulnerable to injury.

Unlike people in vehicles, we’re not protected by seat belts, airbags, and metal.

It’s important to be aware of traffic and surroundings, and to never assume a driver or rider has seen you.

If you’re walking (or wheeling) on pathways, please pay attention near roads.

Stay alert (wearing headphones can reduce your awareness of what’s happening around you), use designated crossings, and if you’ve been drinking alcohol, plan a way home and take care near the road.

If you’re driving, please give way to pedestrians entering crossings.

In shared zones or slip lanes, reduce your speed at night around entertainment venues, be careful in areas with children (schools and playgrounds), and allow more time for a person with a disability or senior pedestrian to cross the road.

We’ve also got tips for teaching children to become safe pedestrians too.

Tell us how you share the path with others?

Sunday 21 May – Take care on regional roads
In Australia, less than one third of the population lives in regional and remote areas, but nearly two thirds of all fatal road crashes occur on rural and remote roads.

Today’s National Road Safety Week (14-21 May 2023) theme is: Take care on regional roads.

So next time you’re driving on a regional road, remember to slow down and drive to the conditions.

Share the road, buckle up for every trip, and make sure your passengers do too, and never drive tired or when you’ve been drinking.

Check out our other tips for driving on regional roads.