A new road safety campaign was launched today in memory of four people killed in a horrific crash on the Sunshine Coast last year.
Road Smart Day is the idea of the families who lost three people in the accident and their aim is to raise awareness of the suffering road accidents can cause to others.
Heath Warren reports.
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TRANSCRIPT
The launch marks the anniversary of the a two car-road accident that claimed the lives five year old twin girls Grace and Jessica Hornby and their grandmother Denise Mansell.
The accident also claimed the life Anthony Thomson, the driver of the second vehicle.
Today’s event was well received as the Maroochydoore community and officials rallied behind the grieving parents Michael and Kelly Hornby in a desperate bid to spread the message of road safety.
Adorned in pink and purple ribbons – the twins’ favourite colours – they say the days primary purpose is not to mourn but to increase the awareness.
Michael Hornby, Parent: “Road crashes don’t just happen in the sunshine coast, they don’t just happen in Queensland, they happen to Australians every day.”
The Hornby’s are hoping to take their safety campaign to a national audience.
Kelly Hornby, Parent: “I think we’re trying to save people on the roads and if we’ve got to wear our heart on our sleeve to get the message out there and make people see that it can happen to anyone, we’ll do anything.”
The launch for Grace and Jessica’s Road Smart Day comes in the wake of a historic low for road related deaths in Queensland. But authorities are warning motorists not to let their guard down when behind the wheel.
Queensland Police say anything that highlights road safety helps reduce the death toll.
Queensland Police Officer: “We can’t afford to become complacent because yeah we have had good years before, we’ve had good starts to the year.”
Grace and Jessica’s Road Smart day will take place on September 12, the day of their birthday.
Heath Warren, QUT News