AHEAD of the festive season, the NSW Government has released a new emotional, social media campaign featuring the Western Sydney Wanderers and the families of road trauma victims.
The campaign is designed to remind everyone to make safe and responsible decisions on the roads this summer.
Tara McCarthy, Deputy Secretary of Safety, Environment and Regulation at Transport for NSW, said Bridget Sakr and Laila Abdallah recently met with Western Sydney Wanderers players to share their story of losing four children in the tragic 2020 crash in Oatlands.
“The Sakr and Abdallah families’ story serves as a powerful reminder of the profound consequences one wrong decision on the road can have on families and the community,” Ms McCarthy said.
“The NSW Government’s long-standing partnership with the Western Sydney Wanderers FC allowed us to connect the players with the families recently, resulting in a social media campaign that drives home the importance of making safe decisions on the road.”
Western Sydney Wanderers CEO Scott Hudson said the club is proud to use its brand and influence within the passionate football community to spread important messages about road safety.
“Meeting the families of road trauma victims like the Abdallahs and Sakrs helps our players understand the importance of their responsibilities as role models in the community,” Mr Hudson said.
Bridget Sakr, mother of road trauma victim Veronique, said that meeting and speaking to the Wanderers was an incredible opportunity to discuss the importance of road safety and the impact the team can have in spreading the message among not only their fans but the community at large.
“Since our tragedy, we have been active participants in the formation of a new organisation – Road Trauma Support Group NSW. This group has the support of Transport for NSW and NSW Police and comprises people like us who have been impacted by the traumatic death of a loved one on NSW roads,” said Ms Sakr.
“We are passionate about working with stakeholders to make our roads safer for everyone, as well as provide increased support for those impacted by road trauma.”
Leila Abdallah, mother of road trauma victims Antony, Angelina and Sienna, said the impacts of road trauma are long-lasting.
“My life hasn’t been the same since I lost my three angels in that crash,” said Ms Abdallah.
“With my family being sports fans, I don’t have to look far to see the impact teams like the Wanderers can have on people.
“Their actions and words have the power to ignite healthy conversations about the importance of road safety – it can save lives.”
Ms McCarthy said road safety is a shared responsibility.
“Everyone can make a difference with the decisions they make on the road every day – follow the sign-posted speed limit, drive to road and weather conditions, plan ahead, avoid driving tired, put down your phone and always wear your seatbelt,” said Ms McCarthy.”
To learn more about Transport’s partnership with the Wanderers, please visit: https://towardszero.nsw.gov.au/sponsorships/westernsydneywanderers.
