After decades of reductions in road trauma, New South Wales is set to record the highest number of fatalities since 2009 and regional areas are suffering the most.

I fear we have become accepting of road trauma as a price we have to pay for a modern transport system but I refuse to believe that more than 300 people have to die each year on NSW roads. For those of us who live outside the city, it’s alarming that you are more likely to be killed or injured on regional roads than anywhere else.

Road safety needs to become more of a partnership between governments, police and the community. Each of us has a role to play as we push towards safer drivers, in safer cars on safer roads.

As individuals, it’s time for us all to take responsibility for our own safety on the roads and the safety of our passengers and other road users. No more excuses for speeding, drink driving or checking text messages – we owe it to each other to adopt a safety culture every time we get behind the wheel.

It’s also time for governments to work with motorists rather than blame them, and it’s time for record spending on better roads. During the recent election, the Federal Government announced more than $300 million to build infrastructure projects across the State.

It comes on top of existing funding commitments for road blackspots, safety treatments, heavy vehicle rest areas and highway upgrades including the $10.7 billion Pacific Highway upgrades.

This week I will be driving from Sydney to the Queensland border to see first-hand the progress. It is a major commitment to building better and safer roads because we understand the link between a safe road environment and reductions in fatalities and serious injuries.

We know that sober, drug free drivers who are not speeding will still make mistakes and we need to work with all levels of government to provide roads which offer more protection, particularly in regional areas.

The need for ‘protection’ extends to the vehicles we drive. There’s a reason why the Coalition government supports the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) to crash cars and provide transparent information on the results.

The ANCAP star ratings are an independent guide to assist car buyers – you owe it to yourself and your family to buy the safest car you can afford. It may save your life or the lives of the people you love.

Road safety is not the government’s problem and it’s not a problem for the police to solve by themselves. The best Christmas present you can give your family and friends is to get home safely.

Darren Chester (Fed. Minister for Infrastructure and Transport)

Christmas time, any time, a tough time for families, long term unemployed, and those that are increasingly discarded . Bills mount up, food is scarce, you can't afford child care, partner has taken you to the cleaners. Your world is a mess and you have no idea what to do. You've been to one of the main (religious) charities, and they've treated you with disdain. They have made you feel even worse, though it pains you to ask for help.

The answer is Tamworth Family Support Services. They are funded by Federal and State governments, have 28 programs covering all aspects of YOUR life. There is no religious or political over tones, they just want to help. I used them to help with me with my finances. They showed me how to budget, organised regular payments for all utilities, and even took on a major bank to assist with my mortgage.

These amazing people, are humble, hard working and really truly care. So if you see one of their staff in a green top with black writing on their tops, dip your lid, and acknowledge their humanity. Special thanks to Donna.

Al Lefebvre (Kootingal)

On Friday morning I called into the Council’s exhibition about the 40kmh High Pedestrian Activity Zone. It is a very complicated display of 95 pieces of infrastructure aimed to improve the safety of pedestrians at 27 locations in the CBD. It is going to cost us a lot of money.

In the evening, I went to a function at the library, travelling along Kable Avenue at 4.45pm and back again about 6pm.  I was able to safely drive at 42kph one way and 45kph coming back, when there was a fairly empty avenue.  If the proposed new speed limit of 40kph was already in place, I would have been breaking the law.  This is ridiculous.

All that needs to happen in Kable Avenue is a school-zone type of control outside the Regional Playground, with road markings, signs, maybe flashing lights. But there is absolutely no need to change the perfectly safe 50kph speed limit for the rest of the avenue. In fact, I believe the playground area is the only area in the whole CBD that is a safety issue. Peel Street works well and a 40kph, or less, speed limit imposes itself naturally due to pedestrian crossings, cars being parked etc. Pedestrians seem quite capable of getting across the road at any spot with ease. In all the years I have spend time in the Peel Street area, I have never seen an accident, or even a near miss. The former Peel Street upgrades have been very successful and drivers and pedestrians act sensibly and with patience.

I would like Council to rethink this hugely complicated and expensive plan. Why not just use the money to finish off the mall idea at the bottom of Fitzroy Street.

Jan Morris (West Tamworth)