Tasmania Police is joining police around the country to take part in a National Day of Action for rural road safety today.

Senior Sergeant Ben Duffey said that police from around the country were today uniting to spread the message: there are too many deaths on our roads.

“Enough is enough”, Senior Sergeant Ben Duffey said.

“We know that a higher proportion of crashes occurs on rural roads.

“Over the past five years 62% of road fatalities and serious injuries have occurred on rural roads (1069 crashes compared with 663 in urban areas).

“Remember just because the speed limit may be 80 or 100kmh doesn’t mean you have to travel at that speed.”

Our message is to:

• Slow down and drive to the conditions
• Pay attention all the time
• Don’t drive while tired
• Wear your seatbelt or helmet
• Don’t drive after drinking or if you’ve taken drugs – it’s not just your life at risk.

“Of course there are penalties in terms of fines and demerit points, but the real penalty could be a life or a serious injury,” Senior Sergeant Duffey said.

“Beyond the statistics every life lost is a real person who leaves behind loved ones, friends and colleagues who ask themselves why did this happen.

Around the state today, Tasmania Police will be patrolling routes out of towns and cities, targeting the back streets and rural roads.

“Remember we could be anywhere, anytime in any vehicle, so please drive safely – not just today but every day,” Senior Sergeant Ben Duffey said.