Melburnians to go up in lights as state moves Towards Zero

08 Sep 2015

Melburnians will have the chance to see themselves up in lights next weekend (Sept 11-12) when the Transport Accident Commission takes its new Towards Zero campaign to the city skyline.

The faces of everyday Victorians will be projected onto a high-profile CBD building as part of the TAC's campaign asking Victorians to adopt the target of zero deaths and serious injuries on the state's roads.

TAC chief executive officer Joe Calafiore said the new Towards Zero campaign aimed to personalise road trauma and make Victorians ask themselves what would be an acceptable road toll for their family.

"When you look at road fatalities as people's mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, you have to say to yourself that the only acceptable number is zero," Mr Calafiore said.

Victorians are being asked to visit Federation Square between 11.30am and 4pm on Thursday (Sept 10) to have their photo taken as they make the zero symbol with their hands.

Their faces will then be beamed onto a building behind the Young and Jacksons Hotel at one of Melbourne's busiest intersections overlooking Federation Square and Flinders Street Station.

They will appear alongside a host of high-profile Melburnians including players from Collingwood Football Club and Melbourne Victory Football Club.

"We hope thousands of Victorians will take this step and show their commitment to helping the state achieve our vision of a future where every person returns safely from every trip on our roads," Mr Calafiore said.

"We know it's an ambitious target but without that ambition, we're really saying that we accept people will die or be badly hurt just because they use our roads."

Victorians who can't make it to Melbourne to have their photo taken are encouraged to show their support for Towards Zero by taking their own photo using their hands to create a zero sign under their chin and post it to Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #towardszero.