It was January 6, 2014, when the lives of Michelle McLaughlin and her family were irreversibly changed. While on holiday, four-year-old Tom suddenly stepped away from his family onto the road and into the path of an oncoming car.

Tragically, Tom died before help arrived.

The grief left in the wake of Tom’s traumatic death is still felt by the family a decade later, with the hidden cost echoing far beyond the initial impact. Michelle and her husband David used their grief as a powerful force for change, undertaking a decade-long push to make Aussie roads safer for child pedestrians through the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation (LBDF).

Since 2014, LBDF has been campaigning for effective road safety initiatives and community education, including installation of colourful LBDF safety signage around playgrounds and busy roads. Currently, 76 Australian Local Government Areas have installed LBDF signage. While the not-for-profit has raised significant awareness, Michelle warns more must be done to save Australia’s children from violent death on our roads.

In Australia, road trauma remains the leading cause of death for children between 1-14, with 29% of deaths occurring when children are pedestrians. On average, one child dies in a crash on our roads every week .

“Our studies show educational interventions like LBDF safety signage increase awareness of child pedestrian safety in the community. Yet those with the ability to make a difference at a policy level are not acting fast enough to prevent this ongoing tragedy,” says Michelle.

“Meanwhile, children continue to die. In the ten years since our Tom passed, 131 children aged 0-16 have died in a pedestrian road trauma incident, 28 of them in the last 12 months.” Michelle also believes more must be done to support families who experience traumatic bereavement. A nurse at the time of Tom’s passing, Michelle assisted many families going through similar hardships. Her experience facilitated recognition of the ongoing impacts complicated grief had on her family. “

Imagine the difference it would make to the families of literally hundreds of children, if EVERY single one of the 537 Local Government Authrorities in Australia partnered with the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation.

Please partner your council with LBDF, make a difference in your community right now via www.littlebluedinosaur.org