The Barossa, Light and Gawler Football League has been accused of ‘dropping the ball’ in regard to road safety.
The claim was made in reference to the BL&G club delegates deciding not to proceed with the Road Safety Awareness round promotion this year.
Two years ago the league decided to create a Road Safety Awareness round which has now been adopted by other leagues around the state.
A forum was held on the Wednesday night prior to a selected round, with guest speakers talking to the youth of the association’s football and netball clubs.
Last year’s inspirational speakers included the director of Trauma Service at the Royal Adelaide Hospital Dr Bill Griggs, crash survivor Luke Rosenzweig and the then state Education Minister Dr Jane Lomax Smith.
On the Saturday, ceremonies were held at all matches, with significance placed on the game between South Gawler and Willaston as a mark of respect to South junior Josh Ahern who lost his life in a road accident in October, 2007.
Barossa Region Road Safety chair Dr Bill Geyer and Local Service Area Police Commander Chief Inspector Alex Zimmermann said they had been unaware of the BL&G road safety forum decision but were disappointed.
“I would ask the league delegates to reconsider,” Chief Inspector Zimmermann said.
“The forum was able to get the road safety message across to the youth in an environment of doing something they enjoyed - playing football and netball.
“As tragic as it is for the families of road accident victims, it is the police and ambulance officers who have to attend all road crashes and experience the associated horror,” Chief Inspector Zimmermann said.
“Police consider the creation of the Road Safety Awareness round and its associate forum to have been a valuable contribution to road safety.”
Dr Geyer said he attended both forums hosted by the BL&G and considered they had been an outstanding success.
“It is a fact of life that young drivers tend to be risk takers and can do stupid things when behind the wheel,” he said.
“The road safety education process is something society has to keep working on and every avenue used is beneficial.
“The BL&G’s Road Safety Awareness promotion was an excellent initiative and I am disappointed the delegates have decided not to proceed.”
The awareness round was organised for Saturday, August 14 but league president Robin ‘Nobby’ Symes said the delegates had decided not to go ahead with the forum and team involvement.
“Personally, I am very disappointed,” Mr Symes said. “But I can only carry out the instructions of the delegates.”
South Gawler and Willaston senior colts’ teams will play for the Josh Ahern Cup on August 14, the only recognition of road safety.
Andrew Harmann, president of the Tanunda Football Club, said it had been generally recognised it had been tough to get different players to attend the forum.
“We found that it seemed the same group of lads were attending,” Mr Harmann said.
“Perhaps the league can meet with police and doctors to develop a strategy to promote the road safety situation within BL&G football and netball.”
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