The WA Local Government Association’s RoadWise Program is once again assisting Local Governments to promote road safety in the lead up to the Easter long weekend (2-5 April 2010).

Aims

The Blessing of the Roads campaign aims:

• To remind road users that we have a shared responsibility when travelling on our roads.
• To raise community awareness of driving safely over the Easter long weekend.
• To create the perception that apprehension is inevitable through promotion of enforcement operations by local police in the local area.
• To use high profile local people to support community awareness and police enforcement activities.

Objective

To create a positive road safety culture in local communities and engage local leaders to help demonstrate that road trauma is not accepted.

The Blessing of the Roads campaign is a community project intended to:

• Create awareness for all road users of the need to exercise courtesy, care and common sense when travelling on our roads at all times, including over the extremely busy Easter weekend.
• Remember the family and friends of those who have lost their lives in road crashes and provides a venue and opportunity for them to encourage others to be more road safety aware.
• Recognise the dedication and efforts of those, both full time and volunteers, who work in reducing road trauma.

How can your Council get involved?

• Organise a small service/event at the Council offices or a local park to formally bless the roads in your community in the week leading up to Easter. Invite local religious leaders (of all denominations) to deliver a prayer or Blessing of the Roads as part of the service.
• Incorporate the Blessing of the Roads message into existing community or Council events which may take place in the lead up to or over the Easter long weekend.
• Incorporate Blessing of the Roads into a Council meeting.
• Invite local media to attend community events or provide local photo opportunities with the Mayor/Shire President, local religious leaders, police, emergency services or local members of parliament beside local roads. Issue a media release to promote the Blessing of the Roads campaign at the local level.
• Incorporate Blessing of the Roads into existing Driver Reviver stations in your region.
• Provide the Blessing of the Roads information and blessings to local religious leaders for adaptation or inclusion in services in the lead up to Easter.
• Incorporate the Blessing of the Roads information into any local newsletters or regular newspaper columns written by Mayors /Shire Presidents.
• Incorporate the Blessing of the Roads information into staff newsletters to encourage Council staff to take care on the roads over the Easter break.
• Organise activities for the weekend prior to Easter or any day in the week leading up to the Easter long weekend.
• Present Human Spirit Awards as part of any community celebrations (visit www.roadwise.asn.au/news for more information).
• Include Blessing of the Roads information on the Council’s website

What resources are available?

The RoadWise Program prepares a tool kit to assist Councils who would like to participate in the Blessing of the Roads campaign.

The toolkit includes a media release template, newsletter template, speech notes, a blessing and a prayer. Click here to access the 2010 Blessing of the Roads tool kit. A Word version of the event kit is available.

A promotional poster is also available.

Local blessing ceremonies 2010

• Shire of Esperance
• Shire of Broomehill-Tambellup
• Geraldton Greenough RoadWise Committee 
• City of Stirling/City of Joondalup
• City of Armadale
• City of Mandurah
• City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder
• Town of Kwinana
• Shire of Plantagenet
• Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes
• Shire of Coolgardie
• Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup
• City of Wanneroo
• Shire of Coolgardie

Further information

For further information, contact your local Regional Road Safety Officer or email krosato@walga.asn.au.