Road pledges should be a constant reminder

South West drivers need to follow through on the road safety pledges they made on Thursday, according to South West District Police Insp. Peter Jenal.

Community members had the opportunity to make a pledge at Bunbury Forum as part of Road Safety Week last week.

By placing a sticker onto one of the big crosses placed near the shopping centre by the Road Safety Commission, drivers pledged to think more about their actions on the road.

Insp. Jenal said Road Safety Week was a great initiative but people needed to make sure they abided by road rules all year round.

“It’s important to be courteous to others on the road and to drive to the conditions,” he said.

“That’s a big focus of the pledge.

“Once they take the pledge they can’t just forget it – that needs to be in the forefront of their mind all the time.”

He said people had to live with trauma for years to come when they were involved in crashes, regardless of whether it was an injury or fatality.

“A lot of people drive outside of the conditions of the road and don’t think anything will ever happen to them,” he said.

“They think they can just have an extra drink, or a quick look at their phone, or not wear their seatbelts when going to the corner shop.

“It’s those sorts of tiny little things that can make it a big issue for everybody else.”