Queensland has awarded approximately $500,000 in government money for road safety education campaigns to 55 community groups.
Transport and main roads minister Mark Bailey issued a statement on Monday, congratulating the grant recipients.
“It was encouraging to see several successful grants supporting our diverse and inclusive communities, including people with a disability, and from culturally and linguistic diverse backgrounds as well as our indigenous communities,” Bailey said.
“This year’s grants support schools, councils and not-for-profit organisations to deliver effective road safety education and awareness initiatives, encouraging safer practices.”
The grants, issued by the department of transport and main roads, will be delivered over the next 12 months and help to educate communities from Weipa, in far north Queensland, and as far west as Thargomindah.
This year’s funding round will support projects to encourage road safety education for early childhood, primary school children (and in particular bike riders), young drivers, caravanners, motorcyclists, and older drivers.
“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility, and we all have a role to play in keeping people safe as they use our roads,” Bailey said.
“I congratulate the successful grant recipients, and I have no doubt the projects they deliver will save lives and prevent injury on our roads.”
Queensland’s community road safety grants support grassroots initiatives that will help the government achieve its vision for ‘zero road deaths and serious injuries’. The plan to realise this goal includes what the government refers to as a ‘whole-of-life education and awareness campaign’ that encourages all road-users and pedestrians to approach the road more safely.
Bailey said $1.7 billion was being invested in the government’s big picture policy, and would go towards safety upgrades and improvements to school zones. Towards the end of July, he said the government would be installing cameras in an Australian-first to catch drivers who were illegally using phones and not wearing seatbelts.
“From September this year, Queensland will also have tougher penalties for drink drivers, with first-time offenders who are convicted of drink driving and have their licence disqualified required to complete a new education program before they can get their licence back,” Bailey added.
“These are big picture policy initiatives, but we also need support from the community to help drive our road safety message and that’s what community road safety grants are for.”
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