Through its Community Sponsorships program, RAC has partnered with Surfing WA to support their ‘No Txt No Wrecks’ campaign which will be launched at Taj’s Small Fries surfing competition in Yallingup on Friday 15 January.
RAC General Manager Corporate Affairs Will Golsby said the funding will be used to educate visitors and participants of Surfing WA events about the dangers of inattention, in particular using a mobile phone, while behind the wheel.
“Our recent free2go Young Driver Survey revealed that 55 per cent of those surveyed admitted to sending a text or email while driving. More than a third also admitted to driving while talking on a mobile or to seeing a parent doing the same thing,” Mr Golsby said.
“Young drivers are overrepresented in the road fatalities rate. In 2014, drivers aged between 17-24 accounted for 22 per cent of all WA road deaths despite only making up 12 percent of the population.
“Tragically, inattention and the use of mobile phones continue to contribute to WA’s poor road safety record.”
“This partnership gives us the opportunity to promote important road safety messages to the many young people that attend our Surfing WA events,” Mr Lane said.
The sponsorship support is part of the $1 million already provided to local communities since RAC’s Community Sponsorships program began in 2011.
“RAC has been an integral part of the Western Australian community for more than 110 years and is committed to giving back to RAC members and the wider community,” Mr Golsby said.
To find out more about RAC’s Community Sponsorships program visit http://rac.com.au/sponsorship. RAC’s 2015 free2go Young Driver Survey gauged the concerns and behaviours of more than 500 RAC free2go members aged between 17-21 years.
Media Contact: RAC Media Office 0401 703 719
