The “Fatal Five" and The Easter Break; Road Safety Advocate Warns Drivers Before One of Australia’s Deadliest Weekends

26 March 2026 Media Release 4 Views

Gold Coast, Queensland

As Australia prepares for the 2026 Easter long weekend and school holiday exodus, Ron Mulder, founder of Affordable Interlock Systems (AIS) and former Royal Australian Air Force Engineer, is issuing an urgent plea for driver safety following a sustained 4.4 per cent increase in the national road toll.


With 1,336 deaths recorded on Australian roads in the 12 months to February 2026, the stakes for this five-day period are at a record high.


As one of the deadliest weekends on Australian roads, the Easter break represents one of the big annual peaks in road accidents;  in 2024, the Easter toll  spiked by 43 per cent, with 28 lives lost -a tragedy Mulder knows too well after losing a family member to a drink-driving incident.


"Easter is a high-risk paradox," said Mr Mulder. 


"While Christmas is longer, the daily fatality average at Easter can be even more dangerous. We see a convergence of crash road safety where the 'Fatal Five' - speeding, fatigue, failure to wear seatbelts, distraction/inattention (incl. Mobile phone usage) and particularly impaired driving covering drug/drink-driving—are tearing families apart just as they should be coming together."


Key Road Safety Briefing Points for Easter 2026:


  • The 43 per cent Spike: 2024 saw 28 deaths over the 5-day break; current 2026 data shows the national toll is already up 4.4 per cent year-on-year.
  • The Western Australian Focus: AIS is entering the Western Australian  market at a critical time as the state grapples with the third highest road toll nationally after the Northern Territory and Tasmania; it will provide critical interlock support in high-risk regional corridors.
  • The "Human" Profile: Mulder notes that 95 per cent of interlock users are not "stereotypical" offenders but professionals - doctors, nurses, and parents - who made one poor decision under holiday stress.
  • Technological Fail-safes: AIS is deploying ISO-endorsed, AI-driven calibration technology to minimise the risk of your road trip marred by preventable road trauma.

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For more information, visit affordableinterlocks.com.au.

 

About Affordable Interlock Systems

 

Affordable Interlock Systems (AIS) was established to help people during a difficult time. We've partnered with a leading provider of ignition interlocks who has decades of experience in the field. The quality, ease of use and flexibility of the ALCOLOCK product line make them the devices of choice for drivers worldwide.

 

AIS makes it easy for individuals convicted of drink-driving offences to adhere to their jurisdictional program requirements and work towards reinstating their driving licence. Seeing an opportunity to help more Australians easily reinstate their licences after a drink-driving conviction, and without the customer feeling embarrassed,  Ron Mulder established Affordable Interlock Systems in 2019.

 

 With decades of experience across many different areas of business, Ron is so passionate about customer service and customer well-being that his personal motto has become “If it’s not right for the customer, then it’s not right for the company”.

 

For all media enquiries, images, or interviews, please contact e enquiries@affordableinterlocks.com.au  p 1800 252 656

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