National Road Safety Week 2021
Yellow Ribbon National Road Safety Week is being held across Australia from Sunday 16 to Sunday 23 May 2021.
In 2021, South Australia will lead the crucial fight to reduce the number of lives lost on our roads by hosting National Road Safety Week.
National Road Safety Week highlights the importance of driving safely at all levels in our community, and provides the opportunity to raise awareness about the level of road trauma and what we can do to improve outcomes.
Make your commitment to “Drive So Others Survive”.
South Australia hosts National Road Safety Week 2021
South Australian bridges, building and icons including Adelaide Oval, the Riverbank Footbridge and Adelaide Entertainment Centre will light up yellow to honour the memory of the 1,200 lives lost on Australian roads each year over the past decade.
National Road Safety Week launch event
National Road Safety Week launches on Sunday 16 May with an event of industry stakeholders and invested dignitaries.
Speakers on the night will include:
- South Australian Minister for Road Safety, Vincent Tarzia MP
- Department for Infrastructure and Transport Chief Executive Tony Braxton-Smith
- President, SARAH Group Peter Frazer
- Deputy Prime Minister of Australia The Hon. Michael McCormack MP
- Road crash victim Yudhi Mohan-Ram
- Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport The Hon. Scott Buchholz MP
- SANFL CEO Darren Chandler
This event is available for viewing via live stream.
Rundle Mall activities
The Gawler Place Canopy in Rundle Mall will come alive with daily road safety activities, merchandise and participation from the Metropolitan Fire Service, RAA and SAPOL, as well as ambassadors from our Think! Road Safety partnerships.
See if you can kick a goal with players from Adelaide United Football Club. Focus on the screen and shoot when the symbol appears. Will you hit or miss? We all need good focus when we’re on the road.
Shoot some hoops with your mates. It’s all about mateship, trust and comradery – we all need to look out for our loved ones when it comes to road safety.
Chuck a duck – catch a wobbly football throw or kick. Football kicks don’t often go straight but we all need to stay straight and sober on the road.
Snap a selfie with our road safety toy pups “Belts” and “Buckles” on our bike and hashtag it #YellowRide. Remember to wear a yellow vest and tie a yellow ribbon on your bike on Saturday 22 May for Yellow Ride, and always give cyclists and motorcyclists the space they need.
Test your road safety and cycling knowledge with our online Road Safety game. Can you get 5 out of 5?
Come along between 11am and 3pm each day from Monday 17 - Friday 21 have some fun, learn about road safety, pick up some great merchandise and meet some amazing road safety supporters and influencers.
Around the city and country
Almost 1,000 empty chairs representing the life of each man, woman and child lost on South Australian roads in the past decade will be placed at Elder Park by RAA encourage people to reflect on the emotional toll or road trauma on victims, their families and friends and the broader community, and to encourage motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to pay attention when using the roads.
RAA will also be displaying roadside fatality markets in regional centres to highlight the 576 lives lost on country roads in the past decade.
Test your road safety knowledge
When must bike riders use their lights? Which lane do you use in a multi-lane roundabout when turning left? Test your road safety knowledge and see if you can get 5 out of 5!
About National Road Safety Week
National Road Safety Week has been running since 2013, and is in its 9th year. It is an initiative of Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH), also known as the Sarah Group. It was established by Peter Frazer after his 23-year-old daughter Sarah was killed in a preventable road crash.
Traffic injury is the biggest cause of death for Australian children under 15, and the second biggest cause of death for all Australian aged 15 to 24.
Every year more than 44,000 people are seriously injured and more than 1,200 people lose their life on Australian roads.
South Australians have made substantial gains in reducing lives lost and serious injuries on our roads since the early 1970’s, when more than 300 people lost their lives and 3,500 were seriously injured each year.
In 2020, 93 people lost their lives and another 740 were seriously injured in road crashes in South Australia.
This reduction has been achieved despite an increase in the number of people and vehicles using our roads.
Despite these gains, road trauma remains a significant problem. The social impacts are devastating to those affected, and the annual cost to the Australian economy has been estimated to be at least $27 billion.
As a road user, you can lead the way and help make our roads safer.
Show your support
- Drive so others survive. Take the pledge to drive safely.
- Discuss driving safely with your family and friends]
- Promote your support for National Road Safety Week on social media using #DriveSOS
Whether you are travelling from work, visiting friends, picking up the kids or heading off on holiday, you can help make our roads safer by driving so others survive.
Driving safely means:
- Moving over and slowing down when you see red and blue lights when passing emergency services, and taking care when passing roadside assist and roadside workers
- Protecting every life along the road including children, seniors and people with disability
- Sharing the road and giving space to cyclists and motorcyclists
- Removing distractions and never using a mobile phone when behind the wheel
- Not putting others are risk by speeding, driving while tired or under the influence of alcohol and drugs
- Always wearing a seat belt and correctly restraining children
- Driving so that you and others survive
Refresh your road rules knowledge or learn more about driving safely before heading out on the road.
Daily themes
National Road Safety Week will focus on a different areas of road safety throughout the week:
Watch the national television commercial with Rove McManus
- Sunday 16 May: Remember the 1200 - Too many lives are lost on our roads. Remember those lost on our roads and highways.
- Monday 17 May: Protecting every life – Caring for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, school kids, the aged and families.
- Tuesday 18 May: Take the pledge, lead the way – Take the online pledge and lead the pledge to drive so others survive
- Wednesday 19 May: Move over – Slow Down– Protecting those who protect us by slowing down and giving them the space they need to stay safe
- Friday 21 May:Regional communities count– Drive so you and others survive in the country and the city
- Saturday 22 May: Share the road – Give cyclists and motorcyclists the space they need. Tie a yellow ribbon on your bike or wear a yellow vest for #YellowRide
- Sunday 23 May: Arrive home safe– the greatest gift you can give your loved one is to arrive home safe. #GetHomeSafe for your loved ones.
National Road Safety Week is an annual initiative of the Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH) Group, partnering road safety organisations and Government.