Blooms for Blokes targets male road toll these holidays
With three times more males dying on Queensland roads than females*, RACQ’s Blooms for Blokes campaign urges people to reach out to the men in their lives and remind them why it’s important they stay safe on the road.
RACQ’s General Manager of Advocacy Joshua Cooney said one of the Club’s RACQ vintage patrols will be surrounded by 995 flowers in Mooloolaba this morning to represent the male road toll over the past five years.
“Blooms for Blokes centres on the idea that too often, the first-time men receive flowers is at their funeral,” Mr Cooney said.
“We want to invite Queenslanders to gift the men in their lives a flower while they’re alive, tell them how much they’d be missed if they were gone, and motivate them to be safe on the road.
“In the past five years 995 males died on Queensland roads, compared to 317 females, so we need men to rethink their driving behaviour and stay safe for their loved ones.
“We believe there are a range of factors driving the statistics. Generally, men are more likely to engage in risky behaviour which significantly increases the chance of a serious crash.
“Motorcycle riders are more likely to be male – a group that makes up a significant proportion of the road toll. Motorcycle fatalities have increased a massive 40% this year, compared to the five-year average.”
Mr Cooney said the road toll often spikes during the festive season.
“Christmas is such a joyous time of the year but the heartbreaking reality is when there’s more people on the road, more people are killed in crashes but that is what we want to change,” he said.
“As at midnight on December 12, 268 people have been killed on Queensland roads. 80 people have been killed in the North Coast police region, a massive 40% increase from last year. That’s 268 families who will be desperately missing someone this Christmas.
“This is our renewed plea - tell a loved one how much they’d be missed if they didn’t make it home.”Last year Queensland recorded its worst road toll in 13 years, 297 people were killed. It was the highest road toll of any state or territory in Australia.
A dedicated Blooms for Blokes landing page allows people to send a virtual card to their loved ones and spread the road safety message.
*Department of Transport and Main Roads data from 1 January 2018 – 31 December 2022.