Jeremy Rockliff

Premier of Tasmania



1 January 2021

Michael Ferguson, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport

Road safety is everyone’s responsibility

Tragically in 2020, 36 people lost their lives on our roads and 283 people were seriously injured, profoundly impacting Tasmanian families and communities across our State.

The number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads in 2020 has increased from 2019. In 2019, 29 people lost their lives and 249 people were seriously injured on our roads.

As we begin the new year and the busy holiday period on our roads, it’s an important opportunity to remind Tasmanians that road safety is everyone’s responsibility, and we continue to urge drivers to act responsibly and take due care when driving.

Every single death on our roads is a tragedy that impacts on families and communities across the State, and I feel for all who lost a loved one or were seriously injured this past year.

This is why our message to all Tasmanians today is that road safety is everyone’s responsibility: every driver needs to take driving seriously and give it their full attention while obeying the road rules.

The Tasmanian Government is committed to keeping Tasmanians safe and is continuing work to change attitudes around speeding, the use of mobile phones when driving, and drink and drug driving.

This includes a new anti-drink-driving campaign targeted at young drivers that was recently launched, along with the next stage of the anti-mobile phone use campaign.

We’re also continuing to invest in making our roads safer with more than $75 million being invested in road safety improvements, to be delivered through our Towards Zero Action Plan 2020-24.

Today and every day you get behind a wheel, please always remember the Fatal Five:

  • Slow down, drive to the conditions and be mindful of icy or wet conditions;
  • Pay attention all the time;
  • Don’t drive while tired;
  • Wear your seatbelt or helmet; and
  • Don’t drink or drug drive – it’s not just your life at risk.


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