WOOING DRIVERS TO SLOW DOWN ON OUR ROADS

Australia’s most famous maths teacher Eddie Woo is the face of a new campaign to encourage drivers to slow down on our roads, using his love of numbers to explain the potentially devastating impact of speeding.

Minister for Metropolitan Roads Natalie Ward said Mr Woo’s creative style in the social media campaign would resonate with drivers of all ages.

 “Eddie Woo is a brilliant communicator and breaks down the hard facts of speeding with a simple message - the faster you go, the longer it takes to stop,” Mrs Ward said.

“His explanation of driving simulations in three short videos really demonstrate just how crucial it is to stick to the speed limit.       

“In a crash between a car and pedestrian there’s a 40 per cent risk of death to the pedestrian at 40 kilometres per hour but a 90 per cent risk of death at 50 kilometres per hour.

“Speeding is the biggest killer on our roads and we want everyone to get to their destination safely over the Easter break, so please stay under the speed limit.”    

Mr Woo said the simulations demonstrate how even small increases in speed can have devastating results.

“You don’t need to be a mathematician to realise that an increase in speed means longer stopping times,” Mr Woo said.

“At 60 kilometres per hour, it takes more than the length of an Olympic swimming pool to come to a complete stop.

“Those few kilometres really could mean the difference between stopping safely or not stopping at all, your speed decides the outcome.”

The campaign will appear on Transport for NSW’s Facebook page, YouTube channel and towardszero.nsw.gov.au site. It begins tomorrow and will run for two weeks.