The Wairarapa Road Safety Council [WRSC] is revved up for this year’s Road Safety Week, which began yesterday and runs until Sunday.
The purpose of the annual event is to highlight road safety, celebrate such “road safety heroes” as emergency services members, medical staff, and volunteer driver mentors, and encourage everyone to be their own “road safety hero”.
“Road safety week should be every week; however, this week, we want to highlight that road safety is a collective responsibility,” WRSC manager Bruce Pauling said.
“Simply doing the basics right adds to the efforts of agencies and councils to prevent crashes and crash trauma.
“It’s also a timely reminder for our vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists to stay visible over the dark winter months.”
For this year’s road safety week, the Ascension Monument in Masterton and the Carterton Clocktower will be lit up yellow at night because this “aligns with the international Yellow Ribbon Road Safety Alliance, of which WRSC is a member”.
Pauling and other WRSC members will be out and about in each of Wairarapa’s townships this week between noon and 2pm, discussing local issues and providing information, resources, and giveaways.
Having been on Queen St in Masterton yesterday, they’ll be at the corner of High St and Holloway St in Carterton today, outside the library on Main St in Greytown on Wednesday, outside the FreshChoice on Main St in Featherston on Thursday, and outside the Village Café on Kitchener St in Martinborough on Friday.
Pauling also said that WRSC has teamed up with ACC to promote the agency’s “take a hmmm” message, which encourages cyclists and pedestrians to take responsibility for their visibility and safety.
During this week cyclists can go into either the My Ride or Cycling Tom shops in Masterton to grab a free hi-viz waterproof backpack cover and first aid kit.
Libraries in the region’s main towns will have stock.
Pauling stressed that it’s essential people get the road safety basics right – not just this week, but every day of the year.
“Getting from A to B safely is a road user’s primary responsibility,” he said.
“People need to have their vehicles up to scratch, use indicators – especially at roundabouts – search ahead for hazards, drive at a safe and appropriate speed, increase following distances, and always have that second look.”
