Applications open to fund life-saving driver-reviver upgrades

Friday, 15 January 2021

Owners of Driver Reviver locations can now apply for a share of $7.3 million in Australian Government funding to upgrade their life-saving rest sites. 
 
Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor said there are many driver reviver sites locally where volunteers are doing a phenomenal job providing a much-needed break and cuppa for our drivers, their families and friends to help keep road users safe by tackling driver fatigue. 
  
“Anyone who’s driven a long trip knows just how quickly fatigue can creep up on you and how life-saving it can be to take a well-deserved break, perhaps even switch drivers,” Mr Taylor said. 
  
“That’s the sort of road safety behaviour Driver Reviver sites promote, providing much-loved amenities such as shelters and barbeques or just a cuppa with a sneaky bikkie to tackle fatigue.  
  
“For regional areas, these rest sites become even more critical as our hard-working truckies, and family members from other parts of the country often depend on long-slog trips to stay connected, travel to work or transport livestock and produce to markets. 
  
“If there is one New Year’s resolution, I encourage every Australian to make, it’s to take road safety seriously and do what they can to help keep themselves and others safe on our roads – including taking breaks when needed, even if it adds another half-hour to the trip.  
   
“I strongly encourage all site owners in this region to submit their funding applications as soon as possible.” 
 
Round 2 of the Driver Reviver Site Upgrade Program is a targeted competitive grant round with applications closing 25 February 2020. 
 
Further information, including application guidelines and submissions, is available at www.grants.gov.au.  
 
For more information on the Australian Government’s road safety initiatives, visit www.officeofroadsafety.gov.au.