MEDIA RELEASE 

Central Coast Council and local police have partnered up again to reduce casualties from speed related crashes on local roads through an education and awareness campaign during May.  

This road safety campaign coincides with National Road Safety Week commencing on 5 May, which encourages drivers across Australia to slow down on the roads, look out for others and make safe decisions so no-one is injured or loses their life on our roads - including from the result of speeding. 

Central Coast Traffic and Highway Patrol Acting Inspector, Neil Prest said speeding has devastating consequences for our local community but is preventable. 

“Unfortunately, speeding remains the number one contributing factor in road casualty crashes on the Central Coast with the majority of all injury and fatal crashes occurring on roads with a 50km/h speed limit,” Mr Prest said. 

“All drivers have the power to make positive choices every time they are behind the wheel, and these can reduce the rate of injury or death - especially on local roads where there are often children, older road users, pedestrians, or cyclists around.

“Drivers are reminded that 50km/h is the default speed limit in built up urban areas in NSW, unless sign posted otherwise.   

“There will be an increased police presence on Central Coast local roads, and the message is clear for speeding drivers ‘Stop it…Or cop it’!”

Council Director Infrastructure Services, Boris Bolgoff said that Council is well positioned to support road safety awareness campaigns on a local level and help change driver behaviour.

“These campaigns are two of a number of road safety initiatives that Council delivers as part of an ongoing partnership with local police and Transport for NSW, under the Local Government Road Safety Program to improve road safety on the Central Coast,” Mr Bolgoff said.

“Council undertakes several initiatives to assist with reducing speed related crashes on Central Coast roads, including the placement of vehicle activated speed signage to alert motorists of their current speed, conducting traffic surveys which obtain speed data that may be utilised by NSW Police for targeted enforcement, and the sharing of road safety messaging with our local community.”  

“The message for drivers to slow down on local roads will be boosted to our community through a number of communication and promotional activities, including roadside signage, street banners and a social media campaign.

Council Administrator, Rik Hart said the Central Coast community’s wellbeing and safety is important to Council.

“Working in collaboration with the local police and Transport for NSW on road safety awareness campaigns helps drive road safety messaging to our local community, and reduce avoidable injuries or loss of life on the Central Coast from speeding.

“I strongly encourage all drivers to take the National Road Safety Week pledge to keep your friends, family and community in mind every time you drive, and keep within the speed limit on local roads.”

Take the National Road Safety Week pledge to choose to drive so others survive, and help keep our community safe on local roads. 

Find out more on Council’s road safety initiatives and projects.

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Photo caption: (L-R) Kate Keogh (Council Road Safety Officer), Neil Prest (Central Coast Traffic and Highway Patrol Acting Inspector), Rik Hart (Council Administrator), Scott Williams (Brisbane Waters Highway Patrol Acting Sergeant), and Scott Jarvis (Council Section Manager Roads).