Women’s soccer club joins Towards Zero push for safer young drivers

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22 May 2017

One of Victoria’s premier women’s soccer clubs is the latest recruit in Victoria’s bid to create a new generation of safe young drivers.

Transport Accident Commission CEO Joe Calafiore today announced the TAC had signed on as a major partner with Women’s National Premier Leagues (WNPL) club Galaxy United FC.

To celebrate the partnership, the TAC and Galaxy United FC held a ‘Drive to the Game’ initiative on Sunday, ahead of the club’s home clash with Alamein FC.

‘Drive to the Game’ encourages learner drivers to gain as much experience as possible behind the wheel. The program also urges parents to empower their children to clock up their 120 hours of driving practice in all conditions.

“The TAC’s partnership with Galaxy United FC is about creating road safety awareness and conversations among young Victorians and their families,” Mr Calafiore said.

“It’s important we keep finding new ways to engage with young drivers about risk taking and help them get the experience they need to be safe on our roads,” he said.

Galaxy United FC is Victoria’s only regional WNPL club, joining the league when it began last year.
With TAC research showing drivers aged 18 to 25 are among the most likely to be killed on Victorian roads, the partnership will leverage soccer’s popularity among that age group.

Soccer is now Australia’s number-one participation sport and the partnership will encourage safe driving behaviours to a broad audience of young people, families and fans.

The partnership’s programs are aimed at club players, supporters and their family members, encouraging leadership and empowering them to communicate Towards Zero values.

As well as ‘Drive to the Game’, a leadership workshop will be delivered by the Reach Foundation among other ongoing initiatives.

“The Galaxy players are already leaders on the field and this partnership will help them lead other young people to become safer on our roads,” Mr Calafiore said.

The TAC will have a visual presence on Galaxy United FC uniforms and at their home base at Banyul Warri Reserve in Torquay.

The new partnership follows the TAC’s recent commitment to AFL Victoria’s new girls’ under-18 competition, the TAC Cup Girls league. The TAC has also been a major partner of the Melbourne Victory Football Club since 2005.

Creating a new generation of safer young drivers is a major priority in Victoria’s Towards Zero Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan 2016-2020.

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