Join us in reminding your community to prepare and take extra care on the roads over long weekends and holidays because #SafetyNeverTakesAHoliday.
If you're creating your own social media content, follow our Content Creation Guidelines for more key messages on other topics.
Statistics
Last year, 3 people were killed and 39 seriously injured on NSW roads during the King’s Birthday long weekend compared to 3 people killed and 45 seriously injured in the same period the year prior.
2025 data is preliminary and subject to change.
Key messages
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| Seatbelts |
- Make sure everyone's buckled up properly. Seatbelts save lives.
- Wearing your seatbelt under your arm is incorrectly wearing your seatbelt. It won't be as effective in protecting you in a crash.
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| Fatigue |
- Plan your route and regular rest breaks, and swap drivers if you can.
- Test how tired you might be before heading out on the road at testyourtiredself.com.au.
- Plan regular rest breaks at a NSW Rest Area including Driver Reviver sites to avoid fatigue.
- Get a good night’s sleep before driving.
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| Drink driving |
- If you plan on drinking, don’t drive - have a Plan B before you head out.
- Avoid drinking the night before driving.
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| Drive to conditions |
- Drive to the conditions by taking notice of the road, weather and traffic conditions and adjusting your behaviour to match. It might mean slowing down, increasing your distance from the vehicle in front of you or turning on your headlights or fog lights.
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| Driving in snow and icy conditions |
- Snow and ice can make the roads slippery and cause your tyres to lose traction. It'll take you much longer to stop so slow down and leave at least 4 seconds between you and the vehicle in front.
- In snow and on ice, brake and accelerate gently to avoid skidding.
- If instructed by signs or authorities, fit snow chains to your tyres.
- In snow, turn on your headlights during the day. If visibility is poor, turn on your fog lights if you have them.
- Take extra care when driving around dawn, dusk or at night when moisture can freeze into black ice on the road. It's hard to see and can remain even on clear days, especially in shaded or low-lying areas.
- For tips on driving in the snow, visit the NSW Government website.
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| Pedestrians |
- Don't walk home drunk. Take public transport, a taxi or ride share to get home safely.
- Drivers, watch for people walking these holidays and slow down. Try a crash simulation on the Lab to see how your speed affects a pedestrian at nsw.gov.au/roadsafetylearninglab/pedestrian
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| Distractions |
- Know the mobile phone rules for your licence at mobilephoneroadrules.com.au
- Avoid distractions and put your mobile phone in the glovebox.
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| Vehicle safety |
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| Traffic and planning |
- Visit livetraffic.com for real-time updates on traffic conditions, including road closures.
- Check weather and fire danger warnings before travelling these holidays.
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Organic content will be posted on the NSW Road Safety Facebook pagewhich you can share on your Facebook page.
These double demerits assets require a Creative Assets Library (CAL) account to download. Learn how to register for an account at the bottom of this page.
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King's Birthday (5 to 8 June 2026)
1:1 CAL ID 1005982
4:5 CAL ID 1005980
9:16 CAL ID 1005981
16:9 CAL ID 1005983
Double demerits are in force from Friday 5 June to Monday 8 June 2026, inclusive.
Get caught speeding, using a mobile phone illegally, not wearing a seatbelt or wearing one incorrectly, or not wearing a motorcycle helmet this holiday period and you’ll face double the points.
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King's Birthday (5 to 8 June 2026)
1:1 CAL ID 1005977
4:5 CAL ID 1005975
16:9 CAL ID 1005979
Double demerits are in force from Friday 5 June to Monday 8 June 2026, inclusive.
Get caught speeding, using a mobile phone illegally, not wearing a seatbelt or wearing one incorrectly, or not wearing a motorcycle helmet this holiday period and you’ll face double the points.
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[Heading] Tips to get everyone to your holiday destination safely
[Body] If you're driving over the long weekend/school holidays, there are simple things you can do to make sure you keep everyone safe.
[Sub-heading] Your road safety checklist
- Drive to the conditions. Take notice of the road, weather and traffic conditions and adjust your behaviour to match. It might mean slowing down, increasing your distance from the vehicle in front of you or turning on your headlights or fog lights.
- Make sure everyone's buckled up properly.
- Take regular breaks and swap drivers if you can.
- If you plan on drinking, don’t drive - have a Plan B before you head out.
- Avoid distractions and put your mobile phone in the glovebox.
- Check your lights, tyres and oil to make sure your vehicle is road trip-ready.
- Know what to do and how to prepare for snow and icy conditions.
Road safety is everyone's responsibility because safety never takes a holiday.
[Sub-heading] Get involved
- Follow us and share the ‘safety never takes a holiday’ posts on the NSW Road Safety Facebook page over the holiday period.
- Publish your own road safety messaging using the hashtag #SafetyNeverTakesAHoliday across your social channels, newsletters and websites.
- Visit the NSW Centre for Road Safety website for more info on staying safe on the road.
- Explore the Road Safety Learning Lab to challenge what you think you know about road safety.
- Plan regular rest breaks at a NSW Rest Area including Driver Reviver sites to avoid fatigue.
- Test how tired you might be before heading out on the road at testyourtiredself.com.au.
- Download and use the Speed Adviser app, a driver's aid to help you stay under the speed limit.
- Visit livetraffic.com for real-time updates on traffic conditions, including road closures.
Support the initiative by securing free radio live reads and using this suggested 10-second script.
Please travel safely this long weekend/these school holidays. Slow down, stay alert and never drive impaired or fatigued because safety never takes a holiday.
Support the initiative by securing VMS space and using this suggested text.
Portable VMS
| Frame 1 |
Frame 2 |
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Slow down
Take care
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Over the
holidays
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Permanent VMS
If you already have an account, log in at creativeassets.transport.nsw.gov.au and search for the relevant CAL reference.
To create an account:
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Visit creativeassets.transport.nsw.gov.au
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Click ‘Register’ on the top right-hand side of the page
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Complete the form
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Submit your registration request to administrator for approval
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You will then receive email confirmation when your account is ready to access (generally within 24-48 hours).
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