DRIVER REVIVER PROGRAM

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:42): I rise to put on the public record my appreciation of the Mount Compass Driver Reviver group and particularly people I have worked with very closely in that group, Del Wine and Marjorie Rowley, as well as all the other volunteers. There are too many to mention in the few minutes I have, but I want to simply put on the public record my appreciation of all those volunteers. They know who they are and they know the dedicated and important work they do.

I was privileged, along with Commissioner Gary Burns, some members of government agencies and mayor Kym McHugh, to attend an official presentation night at the Mount Compass War Memorial Community Centre on 26 April. Having not only enjoyed the night but realising, as the commissioner was speaking, the importance of the community and volunteers being involved in driver reviver and road safety programs, I wanted to express my appreciation to them for all the work they do.

During the night I was introduced to a new fact sheet that has been put out jointly by the Driver Reviver program and the RAA. Amongst other things, it contained a detailed map of the state of South Australia showing just where those driver reviver stations are strategically located. Not only does it inform drivers of where they can stop for a break and a coffee but it also talks about how to avoid fatigue and about not ignoring the warning signs.

This is a particularly strong initiative that I support on the Fleurieu Peninsula because, tragically, we have had far too many deaths, many of them very young people, on our roads on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The Driver Reviver is a sound warning of the risks if you start to forget about the five fatals—of which fatigue is one—particularly within and around a two-hour radius from Adelaide.

We see the police supporting any initiatives they can to avoid road fatalities, particularly during holiday periods. By coincidence I am putting this matter of interest in support of Driver Reviver just before the June long weekend, being the last long weekend for some months that people will have to relax. What they do is work all week, then rush around home, pack the car and in an exhausted manner, often, the driver will get in with their family and head to their destination. The important thing is to ensure that they get there safely, enjoy the weekend and then get home safely.

On long weekends, even on very wet Friday nights at Mount Compass—and we hope for many of them this winter—you will see these volunteers with all their safety messages, their Driver Reviver station and their coffee stop ready to support drivers and send the road safety message. They are there at Christmas, Easter and all other paramount times through the year.

It is believed that 15 per cent of all fatal crashes are a result of driver fatigue. On average each year, 18 people are killed and 142 are seriously injured in South Australia as a result of crashes involving fatigue. Further, 61 per cent of fatigue-related crashes occur when the driver is alone in the vehicle. As you can understand, it is easier to doze off when you do not have anyone to communicate with. Over a third of the serious casualty crashes involving fatigue occur on the weekend.

Something I am very concerned about from my point of view is that 86 per cent of serious casualty crashes involving fatigue occur in rural areas, and 72 per cent of them involve males. With those few words I again reiterate my appreciation of, and support for, the volunteers from the Mount Compass Driver Reviver station, and I encourage them to continue this important work.