Council turns to Little Blue Dinosaur again to encourage safe driving
Published on 17 December 2021
A colourful campaign with a powerful message to watch out for children, and to hold their hands, around our roads has returned to Kempsey Shire for a second summer.
Kempsey Shire Council is proud to once again partner with the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation to promote the child-friendly road safety campaign across the shire’s five holiday parks.
General Manager, Craig Milburn, said that Council expected the holiday parks to be very busy this year, making this campaign more important than ever.
"Three out of our five holiday parks have busy roads that pass through them which is why we think it so important to back this campaign which aims to remind motorists to slow down around these areas, and for parents to be extra careful,” said Mr Milburn.
“We want to ensure that we are all safe and that the memories from these holidays are all great ones."
Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation CEO Michelle McLaughlin, who started the organisation in honour of her son Tom who died in a pedestrian accident at age 4, said she was delighted that Kempsey Shire Council is once again joining local governments across Australia in the campaign.
"We lost our precious son, Tom, in the blink of an eye. We don’t want this to happen to anyone else - the cost is just too high,” said Ms McLaughlin.
“My message to caregivers is simple - always talk to your children about road safety, hold their hands until they are 10, and be particularly vigilant when you are on holiday or in new environments. Children act on impulse and forget about road safety fundamentals as they are excited being on holiday.”
Road trauma is still the most common cause of death for Australian children, having taken the lives of 430 innocent children just like Tom since 2014.
Council is supporting Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation’s work to reduce the number of children killed & injured in pedestrian accidents and have erected signage throughout the holiday parks at Grassy Head, Stuarts Point, Horseshoe Bay, Hat Head and Crescent Head
The 2021 summer campaign highlights the need for holidaymakers and locals to hold their child’s hand and for drivers to slow down and lookout for kids on the roads over the holiday period.