Local football clubs have been rewarded for their commitment to spreading the road safety message for 2023.
Croydon Junior Football Club, Lilydale Junior Football Club and Mooroolbark Football Club, as well as another 248 clubs, will share in $600,000 of up to $10,000 each.
The State government, Transport Accident Commission and AFL Victoria program has granted funding this year to the highest number of clubs since its inception five years ago.
Lilydale JFC was proud to be involved in the initiative this year and has taken on the task of promoting safe driving habits within the club.
“Thanks to all for your involvement with the TAC rewards program and TAC round this year! The club was fortunate to receive $4300 for its participation,“ the club posted to social media.
Successful clubs are able to use the money for a range of initiatives including education programs, club transport initiatives, new equipment and uniforms and facility upgrades and improvements.
The program encourages clubs to engage with players, members and their communities on key road safety issues and promote safe behaviours, with the dangers of distracted driving a key focus of this year’s campaign.
“Victoria’s grassroots football and netball clubs are influential in their communities, so it is wonderful to be able incentivise them to roll out critical initiatives that promote safer driving,” Roads and Road Safety minister Melissa Horne said.
The road toll continues to rise and is up 16.7 per cent on this time last year, with 244 lives lost on Victoria’s roads as at midnight on 5 November.
More than half of those deaths have happened on in regional areas, where tens of thousands of local footballers and netballers travel for games and training.
Distracted driving is one of the major causes of fatal and serious injury crashes on Victoria’s roads and is particularly concerning on regional roads where people are travelling at higher speeds.
“Road trauma has a significant ripple effect and there’s no denying the power of peer-to-peer support and education at sporting club level – these clubs should be proud of their efforts to create a culture that prioritises road safety,” Transport Accident Commission CEO Tracey Slatter said.
AFL Victoria-affiliated clubs from across the state were able to apply for the program by showing how they supported road safety throughout the year, including taking part in the TAC’s Road Safety Round ‘Band Together’ campaign.
The TAC Club Rewards Program is part of the TAC’s 31-year partnership with AFL Victoria, which aims to empower clubs to develop a culture where all players and members are expected to be safe on the roads.
“The TAC Club Rewards Program is one of the biggest and most important programs impacting community football, promoting the importance of road safety and supporting local clubs and their communities,” AFL VIC Community Football Manager John O’Donohue said.
More information and a full list of 2023 TAC Club Rewards program recipients can be found at tac.vic.gov.au/about-the-tac/community/grants/tac-club-rewards-program
