Towards Zero Round to be held state-wide next week

FOOTBALL and netball clubs across Victoria will go the extra mile to tackle road safety next month, as they help kick off the inaugural TAC Towards Zero Round.

For the first time in the TAC’s 28-year-long partnership with AFL Victoria, the TAC is coordinating a state-wide, fixtured round for all grassroots and community football and netball clubs from August 2-4.

Through the TAC’s partnership with AFL Victoria, the Towards Zero Round will enable the TAC to share the message of road safety with more than 400,000 Victorians who are involved in local sporting clubs across the state.

The round will see more than 1,000 local football captains, as well as other team players, wearing the number 0 on their backs instead of their usual jumper number. VFL, VFL women’s, netball players and junior footballers will also be involved in the initiative, with TAC rolling out a range of additional activities throughout the weekend.

TAC acting chief executive officer Bruce Crossett said the Towards Zero round aimed to highlight the real value of reaching zero deaths on our roads and why it was something all Victorians should be working towards.

“Grassroots football and netball clubs are the life blood of their communities and I’m sure you would be hard pressed to find someone involved who hasn’t been affected by road trauma.

“We believe that zero is the only acceptable number of deaths on our roads, but we need everyone to play their part.

“This round is putting road safety at the fore and we’re asking everyone to prioritise safety to make sure every journey is a safe one.”

Recent research from La Trobe University and AFL Victoria has highlighted the true value football clubs have for their wider communities, revealing that for every player, football clubs reach 10 people in their community.

“The thousands of football and netball players right across the state cover hundreds of kilometres travelling to games throughout the season,” Mr Crossett said.

“Through our partnership with AFL Victoria, and the launch of the Towards Zero Round, we’re able to have a direct conversation with those Victorians about the role they play in making our roads safer and working towards zero deaths and serious injuries on our roads.”