Rewarding season ahead for road safety champions

Published date: 29 Oct 2026

The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) has announced the return of the TAC Club Participation Program, supporting grassroots cricket, basketball and soccer clubs to become road safety champions in their communities.

The TAC joined with Minister for WorkSafe and TAC, Steve Dimopoulos, to launch the 2026-27 program with representatives from high-performing clubs from last season’s successful pilot, Whitehorse United SC, Templeton Cricket Club and Camberwell District Basketball Association.

The program aims to strengthen road safety advocacy among more than 1,700 local sports clubs across the state, offering cash incentives to clubs that promote road safety awareness within their club and community.

The program will this year focus on the dangers of speeding - one of the biggest factors in fatal and serious injury crashes, contributing to around 30 per cent of lives lost on our roads.

Clubs will be challenged to champion the message ‘Be the Difference. Make the Right Choice. Slow Down on the Road’, using their reach and influence to lead conversations about road safety in practical ways, like social media videos, guest speaker events, and providing safe transport home from functions.

The centrepiece of this year’s program will be the ‘Road Safety Rounds’ held across each of the three sports, involving players and officials wearing blue armbands to ‘Band Together’ for road safety awareness.

Local sports participants, officials, volunteers and supporters travel hundreds of kilometres across Victoria every season for training and games. Many of those trips take place on high-speed regional roads, where the consequences of a mistake can be tragic.

The TAC Club Participation Program gives local clubs the opportunity to help educate communities, influence behaviour and ultimately contribute to reducing road trauma across our state.

Funding received through the program can be used to support a range of club initiatives, including equipment, facilities, transport initiatives, education activities, and community programs that benefit local members.

The program will commence for local clubs in December.

Quotes attributable to Minister for WorkSafe and TAC, Steve Dimopoulos

"Sport brings Victorian communities together, allowing clubs to share a simple message that could save a life.”

“Labor is backing clubs across Victoria to get involved and start conversations about road safety.”

Quotes attributable to Transport Accident Commission CEO, Tracey Slatter

“Speeding continues to be one of the biggest contributors to lives lost and serious injuries on Victorian roads."

"Through this program, local clubs can help champion safer driving behaviours and encourage people to slow down and make safer choices every time they get behind the wheel.”