Australian town changes name to Speedkills

The town of Speed in Victoria, which has a population of just 45 people, will be known as Speedkills for the month of March after locals decided to help promote safe driving.

Each year hundreds of people die in accidents on Australian roads and in 2010 deaths on rural roads increased by about 25 per cent, but successive advertising campaigns by the government urging motorists to slow down have been largely unsuccessful.

Speed locals hope that their unique contribution to road safety will make drivers hit the brakes. ...

The idea was the brainchild of the state's Transport Accident Commission (TAC). The commission approached Speed residents with a proposal that if 10,000 Facebook users supported renaming Speed to SpeedKills, the change would go ahead in return for a donation to a local charity.

More than 30,000 Facebook users have since given their support to the campaign.

Phil Reed, a spokesman for the TAC, said the name change could save lives.

via Australian town changes name to Speedkills - Telegraph.