The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) has enlisted the support of local barbers and stylists to inspire talks on road safety.
As part of a novel new initiative to reduce road trauma, Tamadon Barbers in Dandenong has become an ambassador for road safety in his community as part of the Cut, Colour, Click, initiative.
The focus is on the importance of wearing a seatbelt.
Owner, Mohammad Mosa Mohammadi says wearing seatbelts is important for everyone.
“People from culturally diverse backgrounds need to pay closer attention to this because wearing seatbelts can save lives.”
Mr Mohammed’s own seven-month pregnant daughter and baby was saved by the seatbelt when she was in a crash.
He has operated at the Tamadon Barbers for more than a decade now, has built a strong and reputable connections within his Afghan community.
Sonny Singh from Soul Barbers in Dandenong is another ambassador.
Mr Singh’s family member was in a severe road accident years ago so he understands the lifelong impacts one crash can have on a person.
These local voices are equipped with critical messages and supporting resources to start meaningful conversations with their clients on how buckling up on every journey can be the difference between life and death.
TAC Head of Community, Jacqui Sampson, said an everyday conversation in a salon chair was an opportunity to save a life, and the campaign would create community champions for a safety-first culture on the roads.
“The TAC is always looking for new and innovative ways to engage with all corners of the community on the actions we can all take to keep ourselves and others safe – like wearing a seatbelt.
“Barbershops and salons are often local social hubs and a natural place where people are relaxed and receptive to important conversations and have trusted relationships – so we are proud to recruit these community champions as road safety ambassadors.
“We need to come from all angles and have full community commitment if we are to turn around the unacceptable level of road trauma we are seeing – everyone needs to be a road safety hero.”
City of Greater Dandenong and City of Casey is listed among the top local government areas with the highest road fatality at 9 and 13 for Casey for the 12 months to 31 December 2024, according to TAC Road Safety Statistics report.
The Cut, Colour, Click campaign has been translated into 10 languages with tailored messaging to ensure it is highly visible in Victoria’s culturally and linguistically diverse communities, engaging with people whose home countries may have different or non-existent seatbelt laws.
The campaign features barber smocks emblazoned with a seatbelt sash and campaign tagline ‘Seatbelts keep us together’ and a digital content series, while educational materials and fact sheets are available online.
The initiative comes as the number of people killed on Victorian roads is at the highest level for this time of year in a decade.
Last year, Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong were some of the highest risk areas for road-related injuries across Victoria, totalling 508 people hospitalised from road accidents in these areas (Casey 234 people, Greater Dandenong 171 people, Cardinia 103 people).
In the past five years, around one-in-four drivers and passengers who have died on the state’s roads were not wearing a seatbelt (where seatbelt status was known).
A recent TAC survey of more than 2500 road users found that while most people wore a seatbelt all the time, the minority that don’t was growing.
Dandenong South’s South Gippsland Highway is one of the locations with a mobile phone and seatbelt detection camera is installed since March 2025 due to its history of road trauma.
