Subaru Australia Supports the Australian Road Safety Foundation
Subaru Australia is a proud partner for the Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF), a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving road safety awareness, enhancing driver education, and reducing the impact of road trauma.
Every year, around 1200 people are killed on Australian roads. This is a tragic statistic for our country, and one that the Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF) has been working hard to reduce since its inception in 2007. The ARSF is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to driving the safety of every road user, every day, to achieve a significant year-on-year reduction in road deaths and injuries nationally. As Official Vehicle Sponsor, we’re proud to be partnering with the ARSF to help deliver education and awareness programs to make our roads both a safe and enjoyable place for all Australians. It’s just another way in which we’re showing our commitment to Subaru’s latest safety vision of zero fatal road accidents in a Subaru vehicle by the year 2030*.
Subaru Australia demonstrates its commitment to supporting the ARSF through the provision of a vehicle for the foundation to use for its activities, supporting key initiatives and by hosting fundraisers to help raise funds that go directly to helping the ARSF continue to spread the message of the importance of road safety and driver education.
Across 2021 and 2022 so far, Subaru Australia has raffled off two Subaru Outbacks and hosted further fundraising efforts, raising a total of just over $400,000, with the proceeds going towards supporting the ARSF in delivering their important road safety education in the community.
On Monday 1st of August, at ARSF’s 11th Annual Road Safety Awards ceremony in Canberra, $404,051.27 was officially presented by Subaru Australia’s Marketing Director, Amanda Leaney, to the ARSF. The funds raised through multiple raffles and events will go towards ARSF delivering vital road safety and driver education campaigns, initiatives and events across Australia.
Subaru Australia Marketing Director, Amanda Leaney, commented: “Subaru has a very long and proud history of putting safety at the core of everything we do. It always has been, and always will be, an integral part of Subaru’s DNA.
“So, our partnership with the Australian Road Safety Foundation and supporting the work they do throughout the community greatly aligns with our brand’s core values.
“We are proud to have helped raise over $400,000 for the ARSF, so they can continue delivering their mission to drive the safety of every road user, every day.
“It takes a collective effort to make change, so we at Subaru Australia are honoured to be playing an active role in helping drive that change, and work towards making our roads one of the safest in the world.”
ARSF Founder and CEO, Russell White said being able to fundraise more than $400,000 in partnership with Subaru Australia was an incredible feat.
“ARSF is grateful for the support of Subaru Australia in helping save lives, prevent people from suffering serious injury and minimising the broader ripple effected of road trauma.
“These funds will have an incredible impact on the important work of ARSF, and make a life-changing, and even life-saving, difference for thousands of Australians.” Mr. White said.
The funds raised will not only help the ARSF continue their vital work in raising greater awareness about the importance of road safety and driver education in the community but also compliments Subaru Corporation’s Towards Zero safety initiative.
There are two key ARSF initiatives that Subaru Australia supports. The Fatality Free Friday campaign operates on the belief that if we can go one day without a death on the road, we can demonstrate the impact a focus on road safety can have every day of the year. Managing Director, Blair Read, was at the launch of the campaign in Martin Place Sydney to show our support and share why the partnership is close to our heart at Subaru. For Fatality Free Friday, Subaru Australia joins the ARSF in their encouragement of all road drivers to make safer choices, stay vigilant and think about their loved ones and the ripple effect of the choices they make on the roads. Join by taking the pledge and promoting it on social media by promising to: always be fit to drive, stay focused on the road, scan the road ahead, keep a safe distance and drive to suit the conditions.
In December, the ARSF’s ‘Choose Road Safety’ Christmas campaign aims to shine a light on road safety during the festive season. In 2021, the ARSF installed an 8 ft Christmas tree at Jarvis Subaru Adelaide with 191 heart-shaped ornaments, in honour of those individuals who sadly lost their life last December and January. Each ornament is marked with the name and age of each victim of last year’s holiday road toll.
The Christmas tree installation is a powerful way to demonstrate the distressing figures whilst also paying respect to those who sadly won’t be with loved ones this festive season. During the lead up to Christmas, individuals are invited to visit and pay respects to road trauma victims by writing a message to a lost friend or loved one or pledging not to be the reason more tragedy occurs.
Why is this partnership important to Subaru Australia?
Safety is an integral part of Subaru’s DNA. Protecting you and your family throughout every moment of your journey always has been, and always will be, at the heart of everything Subaru does. Subaru strives to create innovative cars that protect you and your loved ones, whether they’re in or outside the car. It’s a philosophy that started with Subaru’s first mass produced vehicle, the Subaru 360. A vehicle designed with driver visibility at its core, and in 1960 became one of the first vehicles in the world to be crash tested. This commitment saw Subaru also produce the first Japanese built car to achieve a 5-star ANCAP safety rating in 2003, while becoming the first mainstream car brand in Australia to achieve 5-star ANCAP ratings across the entire range.
Now, Subaru is proud to introduce its most important safety vision yet – working towards zero fatal road accidents in a Subaru vehicle by the year 2030*. This vision is underpinned by the four vital safety pillars of Primary, Active, Preventative and Protective safety that work together to achieve Subaru’s ‘All-Around’ approach to automotive manufacturing. By combining holistic Subaru design principles and advanced safety technologies with a range of cutting-edge future innovations, Subaru aims to provide an inherent safety and peace-of-mind that allows Subaru families to enjoy the magic of living in the moment.
* Subaru Corporation (the Japanese manufacturer of Subaru cars) has publicly stated its aim to reduce the number of fatal accidents in a Subaru vehicle to zero by 2030 as well as the number of fatalities among pedestrians, cyclists and the like as a result of a collision with a Subaru vehicle. For more information on Subaru Corporation’s CSR initiatives visit https://www.subaru.co.jp/en/csr/subaru_csr/sixpriority/peace.html.