We are partnering with Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail and the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, to promote National Road Safety Week, 2023
Make your local pledge today
Take our local road safety pledge via the form below, acknowledging that ‘drive so others survive’ means protecting our people and our wildlife, and receive your free pledge pack to recognise your support to ‘drive with care, and be koala aware’.
National Road Safety Week is an annual initiative from the Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH) Group, partnering road safety organisations and Government. Running from 14 – 21 May, 2023, the week highlights the impact of road trauma and ways to reduce it.
This year Port Macquarie-Hastings Council will also take the opportunity to shine a light on the impact of road strikes on our koala and other wildlife populations. During Road Safety Week, many Hello Koalas around the community will be wearing a yellow ribbon to raise awareness of road safety for both the community and our wildlife.
Each year approximately 1200 people are killed and another 44,000 are seriously injured on Australian roads. National Road Safety Week is a time for us to remember those people who have experienced trauma on our roads and recognise actions we can all take to reduce it. The public is encouraged to take the pledge to “drive so others survive”.
National Road Safety Week daily themes:
- Sunday 14 May: “Remember the 1200”
- Monday 15 May: “Your road safety pledge”
- Tuesday 16 May: “Road safety for young people”
- Wednesday 17 May: “Slow down and give them space”
- Thursday 18 May: “How safe is my ride”
- Friday 19 May: “Let’s all get home safe”
- Saturday 20 May: “Share the path”
- Sunday 21 May: “Take care on regional roads”
Drive with care, be koala aware.
As a result of diminishing habitat and the construction of roads and highways around koala populations, koalas are at high risk of being hit by vehicles. There have been 62 recorded koala road strikes in the PMHC local government area since 2021. In 2022, the Koala was officially listed as an endangered species. Apart from disease, koalas being hit by motor vehicles is one of the main reasons for admission to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital.
In 2021 we partnered with the Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail and the Koala Hospital to promote our road safety message and we are doing it again this year with our Hello Koala friends helping to highlight the fact that road incidents not only impact our people but our wildlife as well. This year we are inviting the community to take a pledge to drive so others survive AND “drive with care and be koala and wildlife aware“. Those who take the pledge are eligible to receive a free pledge pack to help remind us to drive safely beyond National Road Safety week and to share the message with others.
The safe actions we take while driving to keep people safe are just as important to protect our wildlife. This includes slowing down, not driving tired or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, removing distractions and never using a mobile phone while driving. In addition, it is important to keeping a look out for wildlife that may be crossing the road in search of food, mates or new habitats, especially when driving in areas close to vegetation.
Koala Rescue Hotline
Find a sick or injured Koala? Please report it to the 24-hour Rescue Line:
02 6584 1522
How to get involved this Road Safety Week:
In registering, you’re pledging your commitment towards National Road Safety Week’s call to ‘drive so others survive’, and joining our local call to ‘drive with care, and be koala and wildlife aware’.
Please note: To receive your free pledge pack (available while stocks last), you must complete the form on this page. Pledge packs will be posted out at the end of National Road Safety Week.
We also encourage you to make a pledge on the National Road Safety Week website, where you’ll receive a downloadable certificate for your commitment.
Questions or comments? Contact us via education@pmhc.nsw.gov.au
Visit one of our Customer Service Centres to collect a free yellow lapel ribbon to wear during National Road Safety week, to show your support to keep our roads safe.
Each day during National Road Safety Week, Safer Australian Roads and Highways (the SARAH Group), are spotlighting a theme to help us better understand how to take care on our roads. Visit the National Road Safety Week website to download videos and resources for each of these daily themes.
Who is SARAH?
The Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH) Group was established by Peter Frazer after his 23-year-old daughter Sarah was killed in a road crash on the Hume Highway in February 2012. National Road Safety Week is an annual initiative created by SARAH Group and is supported by Governments, road safety organisations and businesses across the country. Learn more on the SARAH Group website
