Free safer roads community workshop. Sat/Sun 27th and 28th May 2000

Come and make a difference. Save a life.
The problem
Since 1990, about 20,000 people were killed on Australian roads with another 200,000 maimed“many with severe spinal and head injuries. Together with the countless "minor" accidents, this cost our society well over billion.
Some 450 cyclists are hit and run in Sydney alone each year. This senseless waste of lives profoundly affects the community on all levels “emotional, social, health and financial. The devastation is immeasurable for those who are maimed or left without a family member.
The accumulation each year of road trauma victims depending on support is a major health and economic concern for governments. Combined with our aging population, the reliance of government support could easily cripple our economy in 20 years' time.
Take responsibility. Save lives.
While governments are taking initiatives in road safety, this is not enough. Many issues often fall between departments and are not easily solved.
We, as a community, have become indifferent. Driving is seen as a right rather than a privilege. Cut off in a world of air-conditioning, music, mobile phones, smoking, eating, we quickly forget we are driving a "lethal weapon", capable of killing or crippling.
Technology, road rules and designs have changed dramatically over 30 years. Yet how many of us have bothered to keep up-to-date? This dereliction follows through to car maintenance and servicing. How long has it been since you checked your vehicles tyre pressure or brake fluid?
Safer roads thinktans 27thand 28th May 2000
Six brainstorming workshops are being run by the community, for the community. The idea is simple“let's put responsibility for road safety back into our hands. Up to ten major issues will be targeted with 20 possible solutions. A public meeting will be held reporting these recommendations. Reports will be then forwarded (with signatures) to relevant government, industry or private organisations responsible.
Aim
The aim of the thinktank is for the community to create ways that we can reduce our road toll. Roads are the lifeblood of our society. We all use them in one way or another. We all have experiences and ideas that could "make a difference". We believe that even if one recommendation is acted on, then at least one life could be saved. Imagine if this were yours or your child's life. It may only take three hours of your time to contribute?
Who should attend?
While road safety experts are welcome, we invite any member of the public who has any ideas how we can transform this desperate situation. So if you are a pedestrian, cyclist, driver, psychologist, kinesiologist, road victim, sociologist, parent, Access committee member, educator, driving school...whatever your background, please come and contribute. We want, not necessarily technical recommendations, just "common sense".

Six community safer roads thinktanks
Two topics run simultaneously:
10am to 1pm Saturday 27th May 2000

Enjoyable, safe touring for pedestrians & cyclists

(particularly important with upcoming Olympics)
10am to 1pm Saturday 27th May 2000

Road rage & suicide

(hidden causes of our road toll)

2pm to 5pm Saturday 27th May 2000 Maintaining vehicle safety

(vehicle defects cause over10% of accidents)

2pm to 5pm Saturday 27th May 2000

User-friendly road designs.
Alerting authorities to problems.

10am to 1pm Sunday 28th May
Safe car design wish-list.

Feedback direct to designers.

10am to 1pm Sunday 28th May
Defining safe, courteous & legal driving?

Mutually exclusive?

>Public meeting--Media conference

3.30pm–5.30pm Sunday 28th May
Presenting results of thinktank–- Take responsibility. Save lives.

Venue
Holy Cross College--conference room
517 Victoria Road (Corner Cressy Road, just up from
Ryde Swimming Centre), Ryde.

We expect to have between 10 to 40 participants for each workshop. We expect between 80 and 150 people at the final public meeting. The more, the better for ideas and results.
Register (This is not compulsory, but will help catering for numbers.)
Send an email to: results@planet.net.au or fax (02) 9807 7929 or ph: (02) 9809 3721
Yes, I want to attend workshops .. and/or public meeting.
Name:
Address:
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Contact us: Fax: (61-2) 9807 7929
Ph: (61-2) 9807 9731
Mobile 0415 288873 Email: results@planet.net.au

Any recommendation may raise awareness...and save a life..
Tell us your story. What accidents have you heard of or been a part of...how could they have been avoided. Hands on experience is worth a lot. You just might have an idea that will change the way we use our roads.

Road worthiness interesting info