Road safety professionals are being encouraged to take part in the 10th Road Safety Week (17 – 23 May 2021) and join hundreds of communities, schools and organisations running activities to raise awareness of road safety issues.

This year the week will coincide with the UN Global Road Safety Week, and will focus on the topic of speed. Speeding, or driving too fast for the conditions, is still a major road safety issue. In 2019, 87 people died and 496 people were seriously injured in crashes where speeding or driving too fast for the conditions was a factor [1].

Road safety charity Brake, which coordinates the week, is encouraging road safety professionals to go to www.roadsafetyweek.org.nz/professionals to register for a free action pack and to get ideas for linking activities to the national campaign and engaging communities in their initiatives.

This year’s Road Safety Week is sponsored by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, and will focus on speed. Speed is a significant road safety issue. Vehicle speed plays a part in every crash; the faster you’re travelling, the longer it takes to stop and the bigger the forces involved in a crash, meaning people are more likely to be killed or seriously injured.

Road Safety Week will encourage people to learn more about why speed is an important road safety topic, and show how we can all play a part in making roads safer. People can choose to run their initiative on this theme or any other road safety topic, according to their priorities.

A free webinar and drop-in session is also being held to provide more information on taking part in Road Safety Week, and ideas for activities to run:

Taking part in Road Safety Week NZ

Wednesday 7 April

3.30pm-4.30pm NZST

FREE to attend. Sign up at: www.roadsafetyweek.org.nz/about-cat/658-take-part-in-road-safety-week-nz.

For people who can’t attend the session, a recording will be provided, simply sign up for the session to receive the link.

Road Safety Week online drop-in session

Thursday 22 April

3.30pm – 4.30pm NZST

FREE to attend. Sign up at: www.roadsafetyweek.org.nz/about-cat/663-road-safety-week-drop-in.

Road Safety Week has been engaging communities in road safety for ten years and is a great opportunity for emergency services, road safety and health professionals to run high-profile community engagement, awareness and enforcement campaigns to promote safe and responsible road use to prevent needless deaths and injuries.

Caroline Perry, Brake’s NZ Director said: “Road Safety Week provides a unique opportunity, every year, to focus attention on how the safety of our roads impacts all our daily lives. Speed plays a part in every crash, and even small increases in speed can mean the difference between life and death on the road. This Road Safety Week we want to help everyone understand why speed matters and to join together to play their part in making our roads safer.

“Road safety professionals can be pivotal in getting these vital messages out to local people in their communities, using the activities and connections they already have to help raise awareness of the national message. I would encourage anyone who hasn’t already registered to head to: www.roadsafetyweek.org.nz/action-pack and sign up now for their free action pack.”

[1] Annual road crash statistics – Road user casualties, Ministry of Transport, 2019

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