Think! Road Safety extends vital partnership with SANFL

The SANFL and Think! Road Safety will continue to drive home the vital message around safer driving on country roads with the extension of its partnership across community football in South Australia.

The extension will see Think! Road Safety continue as a major partner of SANFL Community Football and official Road Safety Partner, in addition to being naming rights partner of the SA Country Championships event in 2024.

The commitment from the Department for Infrastructure and Transport’s Think! Road Safety program also will ensure the continuation of SAPOL and MFS road safety seminars with clubs across regional SA, and the appointment of Road Safety Ambassadors within every league across the State.

The annual Road Safety Round initiative across community football also encourages positive reinforcement of safe driving.

SANFL Chief Executive Officer Darren Chandler said the League was extremely hopeful its ongoing partnership with Think! Road Safety could have real impact on helping to reduce the devastating road toll which had now seen 109 lives lost to date on South Australian roads this year.

“There has never been a more critical time to get the road safety message out to the community through footy clubs right across the State,” Mr Chandler said.

“With over 250 clubs, 50,000 community players and tens of thousands of volunteers and spectators, the partnership between SANFL Community Football and Think! Road Safety can hopefully get the cut through to reduce deaths and road trauma through greater road safety awareness.

“SANFL has been a strong and committed road safety advocate for many years and events such as the Country Championships are an important platform to create awareness and drive home the vital message and education about road safety to our football community.”

Minister for Police Joe Szakacs said the community football partnership is an integral part of the broader Think! Road Safety strategy.

“Partnering with the SANFL to reach those participating in community footy allows us to spread crucial road safety messaging to all corners of the state,” he said.

“Every single life lost on our roads is tragic. Every single life lost on our roads leaves behind so much trauma. When you get behind the wheel remember to stay safe and make the right decisions, because your loss will be felt hard by those who love you.

SANFL confirmed today as part of its full State League fixture release that the 2024 Think! Road Safety Country Championships will be held on the weekend of July 13-14 in Victor Harbor.

It also announced that the feature Hostplus SANFL League regional match would be played that weekend between South Adelaide and North Adelaide as a feature of the championships.

The two-day carnival will be co-hosted by the Great Southern Football League and City of Victor Harbor, with matches played across both Encounter Bay and Victor Harbor football club venues.