AFL Wipes 5 off the 50 line to Save Lives

20 Aug 2013

AFL CEO, Andrew Demetriou, will today join the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and Carlton champion Chris Judd to officially remove the 5s painted on the MCG’s 50 metre arc as the AFL throws its support behind a TAC campaign to save lives on Victorian roads.

For the first time ever, the 5 on the 50 metre arc will be removed at every AFL match this weekend to raise awareness of the TAC’s Wipe off 5 message.

It is the first time the AFL has altered their on-ground markings to highlight a community safety message.

Two AFL champions and famous number ‘5s’, Collingwood’s Nick Maxwell and Carlton’s Chris Judd, are the Wipe off 5 ambassadors and have starred in a series of TAC advertisements airing this month.

Wipe off 5 is a TAC campaign that aims to raise awareness of the dangers of low-level speeding.

Minister for Sport, the Honourable Hugh Delahunty MP said today’s events were significant for both sport and road safety.

"This campaign is a great opportunity for the community to engage in the Wipe off 5 message and commit to sticking to the speed limit,” he said.

It is estimated about 100 people die in speed-related crashes on Victorian roads every year and Mr Demetriou said the AFL was proud to be involved in helping the TAC and the Victorian State Government address this issue.

“The AFL shares the TAC’s passion to wipe out low-level speeding on our roads and by removing the 5s at all of our grounds this weekend, we are showing the community how seriously we take this issue,” Mr Demetriou.

“We hope the millions of footy fans who watch this weekend’s matches will see this symbol and think about slowing down next time they hit the roads.”

The AFL Footy Record has also been specially designed to coincide with the weekend’s Wipe Off 5 theme.

The TAC Cup is also running a special Road Safety Round this weekend and AFL Victoria are also coordinating road safety activities at a number of VFL matches.

Ms Dore said while many drivers and riders feel that going ‘just a little bit over’ the speed limit was ok, research showed that is not the case.

“When driving in a 60 km zone, every increase in speed of 5 km/h above the limit doubles your risk of crashing.

“We know that if every Victorian wiped off five kilometres and stuck to the speed limit, less people would die on our roads,” she said. 

This weekend’s activities are the pinnacle of Wipe off 5 month, which started on 1 August with the TAC calling on the community to show what they can do to illustrate the Wipe off 5 message.

Throughout August there has been a traveling roadshow of a giant, 3D Wipe off 5 message, inviting local communities to sign their name in support of the campaign.

In timing with the weekend‘s activities, a new TAC television commercial will be launched today and can be viewed online at www.youtube.com.au/TACVictoria

Anthony Bartl, who was catastrophically injured as a pedestrian in a crash 25 years ago, is living proof of the effects of speed-related road trauma.

At age six, while walking home from school, Mr Bartl was struck by a car and sustained a broken spinal cord, resulting in him not being able to breathe on his own, feel or move anything below his neck.
As a footy fan, Mr Bartl was thrilled to learn of the AFL’s involvement in this campaign.

“The community needs to understand how serious this issue is, and having football involved might help spread the message,” he said.

The weekend’s activities kick off on Friday night at the MCG with the Collingwood vs West Coast game where road-safety workers will be honoured with a pre-game activity before the match.

More information about Wipe off 5 month can be found online at www.tac.vic.gov.au or at www.wipeoff5.com.au

For further information please contact the TAC’s Sarah Henderson on 0429 294 262.