On 26 and 27 February 2025, ACRS NSW Chapter hosted regional road safety forums in Orange and Wagga Wagga. The forums were supported by funding from Transport for NSW Community Road Safety Grants.
The forums allowed ACRS to engage directly with regional communities who bear the burden of road trauma. ACRS ran similar events in association with the University of Newcastle and the University of Wollongong in 2023.
For the 2025 series, ACRS worked with Charles Sturt University which has a strong presence in regional NSW including the host cities.
“In the three years from 2022 to 2024, some 700 people have died in road crashes outside of the Sydney metropolitan area,” NSW Chapter Chair Mick Timms said.
Mr Timms presented a statistical rundown, a discussion of key issues, and an explanation of the work of ACRS. He was accompanied by ACRS Council and NSW Chapter executive member, Dr John Crozier, who spoke of the human cost of injuries and the burden on the entire medical system.
Each event also featured a local speaker and ACRS member. In Orange, Orange-Cabonne Road Safety Officer, Andrea Hamilton-Vaughan spoke about National Driver Fatigue Week, which coincided with the forums, and in Wagga, NSW Driver Trainers Association Vice President Christine Hillis emphasised the differences in learner and provisional driver road rules throughout Australia.
“Our immediate past Chapter Chair, the late Dr Prasannah Prabakharan, envisaged regional forums as a networking opportunity for regional road safety professionals and that’s exactly what occurred in Orange and Wagga,” Mr Timms said.
About 30 people attended the forums, mostly from road agencies. Equally important however, was the accompanying media strategy and engagement with local politicians.
The Orange forum was officially opened by the State Member for Orange, Mr Phil Donato MP. With the assistance of Christine Hillis, the Federal Member for Riverina, Mr Michael McCormack MP opened the Wagga forum.
Whilst the State Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr MP was not able to attend the forum, he made himself available for a press conference and meeting with Mr Timms the following morning.
A media interview in Orange involved Mr Timms and Dr Crozier. Reflecting on the 10,000-plus road crash victims injured annually in NSW, Dr Crozier asked Central West viewers to “picture the entire population of Cowra hospitalised from road crashes.”
In total, an estimated 10 minutes of regional TV news time and 20 minutes of regional radio time (commercial, ABC, and community) was spent covering the forums and general road safety messaging.
The NSW Chapter acknowledges the administrative support and encouragement of ACRS in delivering the forums.
