Driver safety has been thrust back into spotlight, with National Road Safety Week launching in Tasmania.
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Key figures signed a formal pledge to drive safely year round - led by RACT chief executive Mark Mugnaioni and Tasmania Police Inspector Michael Johnston.
Mr Mugnaioni said Road Safety Week was an important time for all to reflect on, and consider their behaviour on the road.
"The most influential way we'll be sharing this message is by calling on businesses, community leaders, road safety advocates, RACT members and the broader community to make a pledge to drive safely on our website," he said.
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"Our platform will allow Tasmanians to commit to making a pledge to improve on behaviours that contribute to the fatal five causes of deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
"We already have a number of community leaders, stakeholders and members of the public ready to make the pledge to road safety today, and we urge Tasmanians to do the same."
In 2020, 36 Tasmanians lost their lives on the state's roads, with 284 receiving serious injuries.
"This was the highest death toll for road trauma of any state in Australia," Mr Mugnaioni said.
"Unfortunately, we're not faring a huge amount better in 2021 - so far 10 people have died on our roads this year, and more than 100 have been seriously injured.
"This is tragic not only for the statistics, but beyond that, every one of these is family that has been torn apart."
Inspector Johnston said a focus for police every day was on monitoring people's behaviour on the roads - highlighting an importance for people to get to their destinations safely rather than quickly.
"Wherever you're going get there safely - safety has to be at the forefront of your mind before you turn the key on, before you pull out of your driveway, before you start your journey, so that you, everybody that's with you, everybody in your family gets there safely," he said.
"Every single road accident affects a family, affects a workplace, affects a community group - the human toll is unimaginable and the trauma it causes is not just to the people directly involved in an accident but the entire community.
"The whole community though needs to have those discussions, to have those conversations with each other about the impact."
Police will continue to monitor the roads in marked and unmarked vehicles and motorcycles.
People can make a road safety pledge via www.ract.com.au/community/advocating-change/road-safety-week.
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