Campaign shines light on road trauma’s lasting toll

AMBER Community’s annual Shine a Light campaign returns this month with a stronger local focus, honouring lives lost on Victoria’s roads while urging safer choices behind the wheel.

The month-long campaign will feature events in Torquay and Geelong, alongside illuminated landmarks and community activities highlighting the lasting impact of road trauma.

Amber Community Barwon South West regional coordinator Jules Haddock said the campaign balances remembrance with education.

“Shine a Light on Road Safety honours people that have been affected by road trauma,” she said. “It’s very much in recognition of people that have lost lives or been tragically injured in various ways.”

She said it also keeps road safety front of mind.

“It highlights the urgent need for safer choices on our roads and encourages everyone to play their part in preventing crashes and injuries,” Haddock said.

Funds raised through the campaign support Amber Community’s free counselling, peer support and evidence-based education programs for people affected by road trauma across Victoria.

Local events include Laughter for Health in Torquay on 6 May, where participants are encouraged to wear yellow.

The campaign will also be represented at the Geelong Volunteer Expo on 21 May, while Headlights Day on 22 May will ask motorists to turn on their headlights during the day as a symbol of road safety and remembrance.

For those with lived experience, the campaign provides a platform to share the human impact behind the statistics.

Catherine, who was seriously injured in a crash in Torquay in 2020, said she first became involved after seeing a call-out for volunteers to speak about road trauma.

The crash left her with a broken neck, brain injury, PTSD and ongoing symptoms that continue to affect her daily life.

“Driving is a responsibility. It is not a right,” she said. “Not everyone gets the right to drive, so it is a huge responsibility. When you’re getting behind the wheel of a car, I don’t think people realise how much of a responsibility they’re taking.”

Bernie, who was injured in a crash 33 years ago, said she joined after finding the volunteer opportunity online.

She said awareness is important for “the ripple effect” of family members, friends and witnesses who can all be impacted by incidents on the road.

“People just say, ‘There’s lots of cars on the road’, but I don’t think they realise that in those cars are actual people that have got lives,” Bernie said.

“I was in the crash, but it has affected my husband, it has affected my children. That ripple effect just goes out.”

Haddock said lived experience speakers have a powerful impact.

“These two beautiful human beings openly share the vulnerability, the pain and the resilience in the whole story,” she said. “There’s a shift that happens in attitude completely.”

The campaign has also created connections among those affected.

“It’s weird,” Catherine said. “We wouldn’t know each other if this stuff hadn’t happened. But I suppose it’s bringing something positive out of something that has been so, so negative.”

Amber Community is encouraging locals to take part throughout May, particularly by supporting Headlights Day on 22 May.