Between Monday 16 and Saturday 21 August Senior Constable Darren Hewitt from Gympie District Crime Prevention supported Queensland Road Safety Week (QRSW) for 2021.
On Tuesday, August 17, SC Hewitt along with two Volunteers in Policing attended Gunalda driver reviver.
SC Hewitt wanted to thank Craig Whittaker from the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) Gympie for supporting QRSW and providing an inflatable vehicle where motorists can take a break and sign up for road safety.
“A special thank you to our dedicated volunteers from Gympie Lions and Gympie South Lions that operate this driver reviver stop at Gunalda on a regular basis and provide motorists with a cuppa, biscuits, cake and just a general friendly chat to try and stop motorists driving fatigued,” SC Hewitt said.
On Wednesday, August 18, SC Hewitt visited St Patrick’s Primary School and spoke to students from Prep and Years 1 and 2 about the importance of road safety.
He said the students were instructed on the importance of pedestrian safety, including the safest ways to cross the road and to ‘stop, look, listen and think’.
They also learned about safety in driveways/footpaths, safety in the car including wearing seatbelts, safest way to enter/exit a vehicle and bicycle safety in wearing your helmet correctly – all potentially life saving advice to these students.
On Thursday, August 19, SC Hewitt attended Roadcraft and assisted the fully qualified and experienced Roadcraft educator with students from Gympie Central State School regarding pedestrian safety, bus safety, bike safety and passenger safety.
The students were provided with potentially life saving advice by the Roadcraft educator on the importance of road safety whether you are a pedestrian, passenger or riding your bike on or near the roadway.
The students were then correctly fitted with bicycle helmets and walked to the purposely built Roadcraft bicycle track with street signs, roundabout and operating traffic lights where they put that expert advice into practice.
On Friday, August 20, SC Hewitt along with two of his ViPs attended the Puma Traveston Service Station to continue with the road safety message.
“Once again, thank you to Craig Whittaker from TMR, Gympie for providing the inflatable sign up for road safety vehicle and a special thank you again to our dedicated volunteers from Gympie Lions and Gympie South Lions that attended Puma Traveston Service Station to show their support of QRSW,” SC Hewitt said.
“Also, a big thank you to Puma Traveston Service Station staff for making us feel very welcome and allowing us to spread these very important road safety messages to the community.”
SC Hewitt said road safety is everyone’s responsibility.
“Remember the Fatal Five every time you drive – speeding, seat belts, drink/drug driving, fatigue, and distraction,” he said.
“All of these factors have a direct consequence on your life and those around you.”
