A routine fuel stop is being turned into a life-saving reminder for regional motorists this Rural Road Safety Month.
As part of Rural Road Safety Month, Lowes Petroleum is launching “One message. One decision. One life’: replacing promotional messaging above fuel bowsers to encourage motorists to slow down, take a break if they’re tired and make it home safely.
Messages including “Tired? Stay a little longer. This break could save your life.” and “Hey you… someone’s waiting. Drive safe.” will greet motorists as they refuel, as more than half of Australia’s road deaths continue to occur on regional roads, despite far fewer vehicles on them.
Last year, 906 lives were lost on our country roads. That’s more than two in every three road deaths in this country – on roads that carry far fewer of us than our cities. And it’s climbed more than 10% in a single year. New research shows 69 per cent of road deaths occur in regional and remote areas.
For Lowes Petroleum, the campaign is personal. Every day, their drivers travel across regional Australia, witnessing first-hand the risks many motorists take.
Jamie Good has been driving for 35 years but still remembers the day a female motorist cut in front of him, barely missing his truck.
“She fell asleep at the wheel, and the car disappeared off the road into the bush,” Mr Good said. “When I reached the car there was a baby in the back. Thankfully they were only shaken up and not injured but the thought of what could have happened stays with me today.”
Lowes Petroleum’s General Manager of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) Bernie Morris said those experiences were the driving force behind the campaign.
“For our drivers, near misses aren’t statistics,” Mr Morris said. “They’re conversations at the depot after another truck has been overtaken on a blind bend, another driver has drifted across the centre line, or another fatigued motorist has narrowly avoided tragedy. Those experiences are why we’re putting these messages where people will actually stop and read them.
“A service station isn’t just somewhere people fill up. It’s where they pause before the next part of their journey.”
Rather than another roadside sign flashing past at highway speed, the messages are placed directly above the bowser, where motorists are already stopped and have a chance to act—whether that’s grabbing another coffee, stretching their legs, swapping drivers or deciding to rest a little longer.
“This isn’t about telling people how to drive,” Mr Good said. “It’s about reminding them that someone is waiting for them to get home.”
Fast Facts – Rural Road Safety in Australia
- More than 1 in 2 road deaths occur on regional roads, despite lower traffic volumes
- Around 1,300 people are killed on Australian roads each year.
- Regional roads are significantly higher risk due to speed, fatigue and long travel distances between services.
- Fatigue is a major factor in serious crashes, particularly on long rural journeys.
- The research found more than a quarter of drivers (27%) believe rural roads are safer than city streets, despite 69 per cent of road fatalities occurring in regional and remote areas. Last year alone, 906 lives were lost on Australia’s rural roads.
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