Comedy festival goers urged to 'look up' as TAC targets phone distraction

Published date: 27 Mar 2026

The TAC is teaming up with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival to encourage attendees to ‘look up’ from their phone to stay safe getting to and from this year’s events.

The TAC’s presence at this year’s Comedy Festival, running from 25 March to 19 April, will harness the festival’s large crowds and high pedestrian traffic to highlight the dangers of distraction, whether behind the wheel or on foot.

At the heart of the activity will be a large-scale mural outside Melbourne Town Hall on Swanston Street. The interactive artwork will feature a busy CBD streetscape and a “Find Freddie” challenge, designed to demonstrate just how easy it is to miss critical details when attention is diverted to a phone. The installation prompts passers‑by to recognise their own habits and make a conscious choice to stay alert - because on the road, even a brief lapse in attention can end in disaster.

Pedestrians are among Victoria’s most vulnerable road users. In the past five years, 216 pedestrians have been killed on Victorian roads, with 71 per cent of these deaths occurring in the metro Melbourne area. Over the same period, 2324 pedestrians were hospitalised as a result of a road crash with 80 per cent of these incidents occurring in metropolitan areas.

Everyone has a responsibility to stay safe around roads. Pedestrians are encouraged to remain visible, obey traffic signals, and avoid distractions such as mobile devices when using our roads and streets.

Drivers can make roads safer for pedestrians by slowing down, particularly when approaching pedestrian crossings, and by giving way to pedestrians crossing the road. Taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds at 50 km/h means travelling 28 metres effectively blind; a simple but powerful reminder of how a lapse in attention can have devastating consequences.

Following the Melbourne activity the TAC will join the Comedy Festival’s Regional Roadshow from 26 April to 7 July, delivering foyer activations at selected venues and extending the road safety message to communities across Victoria.

Quotes attributable to TAC Head of Community, Hannah Meredith

“Distraction is one of the biggest risks on our roads, and it only takes a couple of seconds for things to go wrong. We’re encouraging Victorians to pause, look up and stay present when they’re on or near the road.”

“Our partnership of the Comedy Festival us lets us deliver serious messages in a way that connects with people to make safer choices before it’s too late.”

Quotes attributable to Festival Director, Dylan Cole

"We’re proud to continue our long-standing partnership with the TAC, helping deliver vital road safety messages to the hundreds of thousands attending the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in the city and across 29 locations throughout regional Victoria.

"Comedy brings people together, but getting home safely is what matters most. This Festival we’re working with TAC to remind people about the dangers of distraction. Whether you're watching your favourite comedian or heading home after the show, we're asking everyone to put the phone down and look up.”

Download Hi-ResGo phone free on our roads. Look up for the show is over