A Warrnambool police highway patrol member says attending serious vehicle collisions and fatalities never gets any easier.
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Acting Sergeant Jason Barker said while police officers went through a lot of training to cope with serious injuries or deaths on the road, it still took an emotional toll.
"It never gets easier, realising the victim of a serious motor vehicle collision is someone's parent, brother, sister or child," he said.
"We are not immune to that. It really takes an emotional toll on all emergency services - police, ambos, fireys and SES.
"When someone is seriously injured or passes away as a result of road trauma, it also affects a great number of people in the community. Losing someone dear to you really does take its toll."
There have been 10 road deaths in Warrnambool, Colac-Otway, Corangamite, Moyne and Southern Grampians shires so far this year.
Acting Sergeant Jason Barker said south-west highway patrol units were shining a light on road trauma by driving with their headlights on to mark Road Safety Awareness Week.
"South-west road users are also encouraged to turn on their headlights on Friday to shine a light on road safety," he said.
"This gesture is to show support to those affected by road trauma and is a personal commitment to road safety. It is important to reflect on those who are sadly no longer with us but it is equally important to acknowledge those left to grieve."
Acting Sergeant Barker said by turning on their head-lights, road users would help raise awareness and show those impacted by road trauma that they were not alone.
"This week it is important to think about how your road use might impact others," he said. "We urge motorists to pay attention to each other, drive safely and arrive at your destination alive."
This year's National Road Safety Week runs from November 15 to 22.
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