The Allan Labor Government is launching a new awareness campaign urging drivers to slow down, be patient and show respect when encountering workers on the state's roads.
Research from the Traffic Management Association of Australia revealed an increase in physical and verbal aggression towards roadworkers, including statistics showing that roadworkers are verbally assaulted on average once a week and will report one motorist refusing to stop once a fortnight.
The 'We're People Too' campaign will remind drivers that their actions can impact the physical and mental safety of Victorian roadworkers, and in some instances these actions can have deadly consequences.
The campaign will run across multiple media platforms between Sunday, 3 November and New Year's Eve - and will feature four Victorian roadworkers sharing details about their lives when they're away from the roadside.
The Labor Government recently launched the $964 million road maintenance blitz, which is the state's largest ever single-year road maintenance investment - and roadworker crews will be completing thousands of projects on the network until mid-next year.
Drivers are asked to be patient and pay attention, including to temporary speed zones established around worksites to ensure roadworker safety. Penalties apply for not obeying reduced speed limits.
Hazards including roadside excavations, the presence of heavy machinery, or a change in space available for through traffic are just a few of the reasons for reduced speed limits.
Under the Victorian Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030, the Government is working across education, infrastructure, policy, and technology to halve road deaths, reduce serious injury and ultimately achieve zero trauma by 2050.
As stated by Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne
"Roadworkers should be treated with respect as they carry out the important job of improving our road network every day across Victoria."
"Every Victorian deserves the right to feel safe at work - this campaign is a reminder that the decisions every driver makes can be the reason our roadworkers make it home safely each day to their loved ones."
