The memory of Sarah Frazer has been honoured for the past decade. Photos: SARAH.
National Road Safety Week, an annual initiative of the Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH) Group, kicked off across the nation on Sunday.
SARAH was launched by Peter Frazer OAM following the tragic loss of his daughter in a road crash.
On 15 February, 2012, Sarah, then aged 23, was driving to Wagga Wagga to begin her university degree when her car broke down on the Hume Highway near Mittagong. She pulled into the emergency breakdown lane and called for assistance before another vehicle struck her and the tow truck driver, killing both.
“I don’t want any other family, friend, professional network or community to experience the loss we went through when we lost our darling Sarah,” Mr Frazer said.
“She never leaves our hearts or minds for a minute and this week we are asking people to be aware of their own behaviour on the roads to make it safer for everyone.
“We have to recognise the vast majority of these crashes occur in circumstances that are completely avoidable. It’s imperative that we unite to make our roads safer, as every death or serious injury is one too many.”
Every year on Australian roads, about 1300 people are killed and 44,000 others are seriously injured.
In 2024, 334 people were killed on NSW roads, with almost 70 per cent of those in regional areas and around 40 per cent related to speeding.
The overarching theme of National Road Safety Week this year is ‘’Drive so others Survive’’, with road users encouraged to make a road safety pledge. So far, more than 73,000 pledges have already been taken online.
“Road crashes affect more than just the people directly involved,” NSW Transport Minister Jenny Aitchison said.
“I’m proud to see our iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge illuminated in yellow to raise awareness of this important week – the bridge is a key centrepiece in our city and I know that hundreds of thousands of people will see the yellow lights, the projection of the yellow ribbon and NSW’s road safety goal of Towards Zero on the pylons.”
Sarah was just 23 when she died.
NSW is the lead jurisdiction this year and will host the campaign launch at the Sydney Opera House on Monday night, bringing together road safety partners, experts and advocates from around Australia. The week aims to highlight the impact of road trauma by campaigning to reduce the number of crashes so everybody makes it home safely.
To coincide with the launch of NRSW, the NSW Government has today launched a new website to shine a light on those affected by crashes on the state’s road network.
‘’Beyond the crash: Real life stories’’ highlights the people behind the road crash statistics, reinforcing that every death on our roads isn’t just a number, it represents a real person and a ripple effect felt by families, friends and communities.
The site features a story wall and interactive map, allowing users to explore crash stories by location. Through these stories, the platform aims to encourage safer driving attitudes and behaviour.
People across the state are encouraged to submit their own stories, which are reviewed by the Centre for Road Safety at Transport for NSW to ensure they reflect the site’s purpose and meet community guidelines.
For more information, visit the National Road Safety Week website.
Original Article published by Oliver Jacques on Region Riverina.
