This is the 26^th year of the partnership between Country Football WA and the Insurance Commission to promote the Belt Up road safety message.

Our major partnership event is the Belt Up Round, which will run from 17-19 May in all competing leagues. The round has a special significance for our 12,500 country football players, as many know someone affected by a road crash. To remember those injured or killed on the road, players will hold a minute’s silence at each of their League level games.

All league footballs and player uniforms continue to carry the Belt Up logo for this and every round of senior men’s and women’s football in regional Western Australia.

Executive Manager Country Football, Facilities & Affiliates, Brent Hedley, said that the Belt Up Round helps to drive better behaviour on country roads. “The Insurance Commission continues to support us as young men in country areas are over-represented in car crashes. 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 Belt Up message is synonymous with Country Football in WA and we can’t be more proud than to be celebrating 26 years of helping to make our roads safer in country WA.”

Alison Wilson, the Insurance Commission’s General Manager Governance and Stakeholder Engagement, said about 100 people are killed or seriously injured each year in crashes on WA roads while not wearing a seatbelt.

“Wearing a seat belt can significantly decrease the severity of injuries sustained in a car crash, and that is why the belt up message is so important to us. The Insurance Commission is proud to partner with Country Football WA to put the Belt Up message directly into the hands of the regional footy community. 

“We’d rather see people enjoying the game  than injured in a crash.”

ENDS....

For more information:

Country Football WA Office

Email: countryfootballwa@wafc.com.au