“Everybody in a community like this knows somebody involved when a person dies on our roads,” Hellena Thom, the Cleve and District Road Safety Group secretary said.

“No one goes unaffected.”

“Three in three years is a tragedy – our community can’t keep bearing this kind of loss.”

Former Darke Peak man Peter Gerloff died in a single vehicle accident near Cleve this month, hard on the heels of the death of Cleve man Dwayne ‘Finny’ Finn’s on the Arno Bay Road in late 2009.

These tragedies follow on from the death of young motorcyclist Ben ‘Shaggs’ Bruton in 2008 at Arno Bay.

“And it’s not just about the people who die and the families who grieve them – many members of our community are still living with injuries sustained in a road accident,” Hellena said.

Cleve and District Road Safety Group will now step up its local efforts to educate drivers about the ‘fatal five’ which are the biggest killers on country roads.

“There are some simple ways to safeguard your safety and your friends’ lives,” Hellena said.

“When you’re going out drinking, designate a safe driver – and take the role seriously. Without accessible public transport, country people need to be more proactive about getting home safely.

“Take a swag – be ready to spend the night.

“Seatbelts are a huge issue. So many of the older generation still resist wearing their seatbelts but accidents can happen anywhere to anyone, and we should always be prepared.”

The Cleve and District Road Safety Group will man the Driver Reviver station on the Arno Bay-Cleve road at the Easter weekend. This is a volunteer service and helpers are always welcome.

The District Council of Cleve will come on board this month displaying safety banners throughout the district to remind drivers to stay safe.

“Enough is enough, we don’t want to see anyone else die on our roads,” Hellena said.

“We all need to take responsibility for our own safety – and we can start by buckling up, watching the speed limits and choosing not to drink and drive.”