This year is the 23^rd year of the partnership between the WACFL and the Insurance Commission to promote the Belt Up road safety message.

A major partnership event is the Belt Up Round, which will run 21-23 May 2021 in all competing leagues. The round has a special significance for our 12,500 country football players, as many will know someone affected by a road crash. Players will hold a minute’s silence to remember those injured or killed on the road.

All league footballs and player uniforms will carry the Belt Up logo for this round.

WAFC Country Football and Facilities Executive Manager, Tom Bottrell said that the Belt Up Round helps to drive better behaviour on country roads. “The Insurance Commission continues to support us since young men in country areas continue to be over-represented in crashes and injury insurance claims.  Every year we hear of players who are injured or lose their lives on country roads and the devastation this causes to their families, mates, our clubs and the community is significant.”

The Commission Secretary of the Insurance Commission, Kane Blackman said that about 100 people every year who weren’t wearing a seatbelt are killed or seriously injured in a crash on WA roads.

“It is frustrating to receive injury claims from people who didn’t belt up, as wearing a seat belt significantly lessens the likelihood of serious injuries being sustained in a crash,” he said.

“We spent half a billion dollars last year as a result of people injured in crashes. That places upward pressure on insurance premiums. We’d rather see people out on the field than hurt in a crash and have to deal with us.”

ENDS....

For more information:

WACFL Office

Email: wacountry@wafc.com.au