QUT's road safety researchers have thrown their support behind a new Easter speeding campaign targeting drivers who think 5-10km/h over the limit is safe.
Professor Barry Watson, director of QUT's Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety - Queensland (CARRS-Q), will feature in a new commercial to screen on TV for the first time on Monday night (April 14).
"The simple truth about speeding is the faster you go the longer it takes to stop," Professor Watson said.
In the commercial, Professor Watson refers to an example where the same car is travelling at 60km/h and then at 67km/h.
"The car travelling at 60km/h stops before hitting a crash dummy, the faster vehicle cannot stop in time and collides with it while still travelling at about 30km/h," he said.
"The difference could be a matter of life and death."
Professor Watson said speed was one of the biggest killers on our roads and low level speeding contributed to around half of all serious speeding-related crashes.
"The evidence shows that about half of all speed-related crashes which result in injuries or fatalities happen at just 10km/h or less over the speed limit," he said.
CARRS-Q advertising road safety expert Dr Ioni Lewis said the Government's new Easter road safety campaign had moved away from fear and shock tactics in a bid to maintain Queensland's record low road toll.
"In the past, road safety campaigns have included highly graphic images, the current campaign takes a more personal approach," Dr Lewis said.
"The hope is that people will relate to one or more of the people featured in the ad, whether that is the fire and rescue worker, the road safety expert, or the low level speed crash victim."
In a road safety first, the campaign also gives people the opportunity to have their name up in lights on 10 digital billboards which read, 'No time for speeding'.
The personalised billboards mean anyone can go online and submit their name to pledge they have no time for speeding.
The campaign which starts on Monday April 14 coincides with a national police-coordinated Easter enforcement campaign running from April 17-21, which will focus on a reduction in speeding as one of the Fatal 5.
For more information about Join the Drive or to submit your name and message, visit www.qld.gov.au/jointhedrive
Media contact:
Sandra Hutchinson, QUT Media (Tue, Wed, Fri), 07 3138 9449 or media@qut.edu.au
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