Community football to ‘band together’

Victoria’s football and netball communities will rally behind road safety this week, donning blue armbands to honour people killed on Victorian roads and show a commitment to reducing road trauma.

The fourth annual TAC & AFL Victoria Road Safety Round will run statewide July 21 -23, seeing thousands of people from country and suburban football and netball leagues ‘Band Together’, wearing blue armbands to honour all lives impacted by road trauma and to promote road safety.

Players, coaches, volunteers and supporters from more than 1000 AFL Victoria-affiliated clubs will wear the bespoke armband, which features a QR code linking people to an online hub of stories from people impacted by road trauma: www.tac.vic.gov.au/road-safety/band-together/band-together.

This year, 165 people have been tragically killed on Victorian roads – a 28 per cent increase on the 129 lives lost at this time in 2022.
Road deaths in regional areas are a continued concern, with 94 fatalities this year compared to 73 at the same time in 2022. The number of people aged 21-to-39 who have died on the roads has risen by more than 20.

The TAC and AFL Victoria’s Road Safety Round provides the perfect platform to speak directly to the thousands of Victorians travelling hundreds of kilometres on the state’s roads for games and training every year.

“Victorian football and netball clubs are often at the centre of their communities and we are proud of the way Road Safety Round is embraced by the clubs, and how it empowers players and members to have life-saving road safety conversations with their peers,” TAC CEO Tracey Slatter said.

“Any life lost on Victorian roads is one too many. The impact of these tragedies on local communities across our state is devastating,” Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne added.

“Road Safety Round is an opportunity for clubs to honour those impacted by road trauma and have important conversations with their members about the role they play in keeping our roads safe.”

Road Safety Round is just one aspect of the TAC’s long-standing partnership with AFL Victoria, with the TAC Club Rewards Program offering clubs up to $10,000 for their efforts in promoting safe driving behaviours throughout the season.