Campaign puts speed in spotlight

Updated November 7 2012 - 2:29am, first published July 11 2010 - 10:17am

A NEW road safety campaign aims to make speeding as socially unacceptable as drink-driving.The family and friends of a young man killed in a crash earlier this year will be the emotional faces of the campaign which hopes their story will discourage drivers from speeding. Emergency workers, eyewitnesses and survivors of the crash are involved in the campaign.Transport Accident Commission Minister Tim Holding said the campaign targets speeding drivers and shows the impact one crash has on more than 200 people. "Speed remains the biggest killer on Victoria’s roads and our aim is to make speeding as socially unacceptable as drink-driving,’’ Mr Holding said. "This campaign aims directly at speeding drivers, showing them it isn’t just their lives they could ruin, it also ruins the lives of parents and mates.’’Luke, the young man in the campaign, died when he lost control of his car near Geelong. He was speeding at the time.Three others were injured in the crash.So far this year 171 people have died on the state’s roads, nine more than the same time last year.In central Victoria police have attended 15 crashes in which 16 people have died. Deputy Police Commissioner Ken Lay joined senior police in discussions in Bendigo last month aimed at the region’s soaring road toll.He said police would do everything in their power to prevent road trauma, but pointed out ultimately it was up to the community.TAC statistics show speed is implicated in 30 per cent of fatal crashes in Victoria and is the biggest killer on the state’s roads. The campaign will be launched tomorrow and will run until Sunday, August 1

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