The
Foundation, established in 2011 by Peter and Emma Cockburn, is a not for profit
organisation that supports families affected by LSVRO accidents, and raises
awareness of prevention strategies. A LSVRO accident involves a person being
run over by a vehicle at low speed. Many incidents occur in the home
environment, involving family members, but they can also occur at work, or when
out and about, eg in carparks.
National LSVRO Awareness Day is a day to remind all to take care when getting in
our vehicles to drive, as LSVRO can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
Significance of the Date
Georgina Josephine Cockburn was fatally injured following
a LSVRO accident on 16th April 2011. The Foundation has nominated this day to
remember all those lost from LSVRO accidents, in honor of Georgina. “We deal
with the loss of Georgina every day, and we welcome this to be a special day,
for all families who have suffered loss, and to encourage all to be aware of
how to prevent LSVRO accidents,” said Peter Cockburn, Vice Chairperson and
Co-Founder of the Foundation.
Peter Cockburn said there are three simple actions
that can be implemented when at home, work or in public:
Supervise
Active supervision is key:
-
Hold your child’s their
hand or pick them up when a vehicle is moving around your property, and when
near traffic.
-
Ensure your child is
with another adult before getting in to drive.
-
Or, check your child is
in the car with you before moving.
Separate
-
Check your home
environment to ensure a child cannot gain access to areas where a vehicle is
housed.
-
Where there is internal
garage access, raise the handle to at least 1500mm high, ensure the door swings
into the house, and install a self-closer to prevent a child entering the
garage without an adult.
-
Create a safely
fenced-off area children can play in (eg, the backyard) where they cannot
access vehicles.
See
-
Perform a ‘Circle of
Safety’ before you get in a vehicle and drive. This includes walking around the
vehicle first, to check nothing is in the way.
-
When returning home,
check the driveway and garage are clear before entering.
“Even in this unprecedented time as we deal with
Coronavirus, it is important as a driver to be aware of these actions. A life
could be saved, and it could be the life of your child,” said Peter Cockburn.
Statistics
Across Australia in 2019, at least 15 children
lost their lives due to LSVRO, and all of these incidents involved children
under 5 years age.
Australia-wide:
2019 - 21
incidents reported in media
-15
fatalities, all under age 5 yrs.
- 3
fatalities recorded in each of NSW, QLD, VIC, SA and WA
2011 to 2019 -
average of 9 fatalities per year
-
no less than 7 fatalities in any given year since 2011
For further information or interview, please contact Emma
Cockburn on 0427424615.
