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Praise For Local Safety InitiativesLocal road safety initiatives aimed at reducing traffic crashes and improving driver and pedestrian safety have been praised at the formal launch held on Wednesday. By Bass Coast Shire Council - 9th October 2009 - Back to News Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ken Lay, helped Bass Coast Shire Council and South Gippsland RoadSafe launch the L2P Program, the Crash Display Vehicle and the Scooter Safety Report.
Council’s Community Safety Manager, Peter Laydon, said the newest initiative, the Crash Vehicle Display, has proven to be very popular at local football matches, markets, schools and major events across South Gippsland and Bass Coast Shires.
"The crash vehicle display tells a tragic story of a young local man who was in a terrible accident," said Mr Laydon.
"Whilst he survived the crash, he is confined to a wheelchair and will require personal care for the rest of his life.
"The good news is that our community has an opportunity to learn from this tragedy. The Crash Display Vehicle shows the crashed vehicle accompanied by the young man’s story.
"The display is very powerful and if it can make others think about their behaviour when they are in a car or on the road, then it’s doing what we set out to do.
"Over the next four weeks, the display has already been booked for events in Werribee, Diamond Valley and Traralgon, demonstrating its impact," said Mr Laydon.
The launch also featured the Bass Coast Motorised Scooter Project which it is hoped will be the catalyst for local, state and federal regulations for the use of motorised scooters.
"Research confirms that the use of motorised scooters is on the increase," said Mr Laydon.
"It’s becoming obvious that we need to plan and manage for the safe growth in scooter use within the community and the report has a number of recommendations for key agencies.
"The third program launched today was the L2P project that was initially established to assist members of the local Sudanese community to gain their license.
"It has since evolved to a community program that now provides assistance to young people without access to a mentor or a vehicle to learn to drive in.
"This is the first program developed in Victoria and has been the catalyst for similar programs across the state," said Mr Laydon.
RoadSafe Victoria recently presented awards to Peter Laydon and Victoria Police retiring Sergeant and South Gippsland RoadSafe member Steve Johnson.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com

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