TAC stunt reminds Victorians of those who won’t be at Christmas lunch this year
Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission launched an experiential campaign at Melbourne’s Southbank today, featuring people who have been injured or lost loved ones in car crashes.
The centrepiece is a 60-metre long table with 257 place settings, representing the number of people who won’t be at Christmas lunch this year – because they have died on Victorian roads.
If I’d had lost a family member this year I would find this pretty horrifying and insensitive. Just saying.
Great stunt TAC. Now, how about a bit of substance? Like, how your total speed-based, punish, punish, punish focus has failed miserably? How you will not address the major issue (with all the current science available to you) of texting in cars. How, your ‘blind spot’ understanding fails to address the fact that there is indeed no such thing, just poorly adjusted mirrors or, hey here’s one; promoting ongoing driver training. TAC loves the big-fizz stunt, is an insurance company (why does an insurance company dictate legislation in road safety?) and fails at the real job. ROAD SAFETY.
Joke, joke, joke, Just not a funny one.
I’m disgusted.
No – this is not insensitive – it is absolutely tragic. Grow up – we lucky ones have to face the reality.Multiply the toll. 257 x 100 grieving fam members? Yeah – we have 130 fam members who still mourn our one who died on the road three years ago. Go look at the table – there are walking frames and high chairs. I’m sad and I think about it every time I get in the car. When will people realise that they are driving a weapon? When will people realise that a bit of courtesy and common sense will save a life? And lose maybe one minute in your travel time? Think about it. Look at the table. It is the saddest table on earth. Hopefully it brings us a bit of enlightenment.
Walked past this on the weekend, people were taking photos. Brilliant way to get a message across well done.
As a media statement or a piece of art, it’s a great display. It gives shape and form to the loss. Kudos.
I do wonder though, what is the take home message for road safety? Presumably the hope is that the display will cause a change in the observer – what is the hoped for change? Not all deaths were down to some kind of aberrant dangerous behaviour behind the wheel, bars, or shoes.
I still stand by my rule (yet to be enforced) :
The Only Thing You Should be Focusing on When You’re Driving – Is Driving.
No Applying make up/ no eating/ no drinking/ no reaching for your sunnies/ no texting/ no making out with your passenger/ no baby entertaining.
Peace.
I lost my father in a motorcycle accident three years ago. Dad hit an oil slick on the road and slid in to oncoming traffic. It was an accident, it was no one’s fault, the truck driver didn’t even realise he’d lost the oil.
I am the first to admit that as much as it hurts to see something like this, it is necessary.
It is necessary because even though my Dad passed away in an accident, I still sometimes don’t concentrate hard enough on my driving and I see countless examples of people driving on our roads who are time bombs.
So to me, someone who has lost someone, it isn’t insensitive or a waste of time, it is necessary.
As someone who has lost a loved one to a car accident, I don’t find this insensitive. Confronting yes, but not insensitive. I think it’s an effective way to get the message across and to humanise the statistics. This picture isn’t something people think about when they’re speeding etc but they should. Every year we have an empty chair at our Christmas table and you can’t help but think about road safety in those circumstances. I won’t forget this stunt in a hurry. Drive safely.
I know that the road toll has been drastically lowered from 30 years ago, lots of changes have helped to reduce it. Seat belts were a great idea for instance. I also understand that there will be times when there is an oil slick that causes an accident, however, I truly believe that we have to do something about people using mobile phones in cars. I have often seen people shouting and obviously having a fight with someone while they are driving, we followed a guy the other day that was obviously texting and couldn’t stay in his lane. Tailgating is another one that needs to be stomped on. TAC come up with another idea to makes us stop and think about these problems. The table was a very confronting display that made me cry and made me pray that all my family and friends can sit around our table this coming Christmas day. Thankyou TAC.
@ Daniel Jacob:
I’m pretty sure there is a law (that is enforced), that says that the only thing you should be doing while driving.. is driving.
Good rule though.