This December saw the launch of an important campaign to encourage Aboriginal people living in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields to ‘buckle up’.
The radio campaign, voiced in Kimberley Kriol, Martu, Ngaanyatjarra, Plain English and Yindjibarndi will run on popular local radio stations.
The sad truth is that Aboriginal people are more likely to die or suffer serious injury because of vehicle crashes compared to other Australians.
The National Aboriginal Controlled Health Organisation, in a 2021 submission to the Australian Parliament’s Joint Select Committee on Road Safety, found that First Nations people are 2.7 times more likely to die and 1.4 times more likely to suffer serious injury in vehicle crashes than other Australians.
The Curtin and Monash University Accident Research Centre found that in 2016 the rate of fatal road injuries in WA was 4.1 times higher for the Aboriginal population compared to other Australians.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare National Hospital Morbidity Database reported that in 2021/22, Aboriginal people were hospitalised because of transport injury at more than double the rate - 386 per 100,000 compared to 234 per 100,000 for non - First Nations people.
Why this is the case is difficult to establish but we know seatbelts save lives. Between 2018 and 2022 in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields, 25% of motor vehicle occupants killed or seriously injured in a crash were not wearing a seatbelt.
The script for the radio advertisements was written and voiced by Aboriginal staff at the Aboriginal owned business, Aboriginal Interpreting WA.
Road Safety Minister David Michael said the safety of First Nations people on WA roads was a priority for the Cook Government.
“I am particularly happy that this campaign has been informed directly by advice from Indigenous groups,” he said.
“Listening to First Nations people about campaigns that affect them is best practice and is more likely to lead to successful outcomes.
“While this campaign is targeted at the Pilbara, Kimberly and Goldfields regions, it is timely in the lead up to Christmas that everyone remembers to put on their seatbelt and have a safe festive season.”
You can listen, download and share these advertisements by visiting the campaign page on our website.
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