Slowing down in Australia

The World
The World

Slow down, or you’ll miss today’s Geo Quiz: We are looking for a tiny little town in southeast Australia. It’s located in the state of Victoria. Such a small town would not ordinarily appear on a world map but the Victoria Transport Accident Commission has an idea that’s attracting some global attention.

The commission has convinced the town to change its name for one month in order to raise awareness about road safety. So what is the name of the village we’re looking for?

It’s Speed — that’s right Speed — population: 45. But for the month of March, residents have agreed to rename their town “Speed Kills.”

They’ve even made a video about it:

And for added emphasis, one Speed resident has decided to change his own name. Local wheat and sheep farmer Phil Down will change his name to Phil “Slow Down” next month. Victoria road safety officials are hoping the campaign spreads globally. In fact, they’ve already identified several towns in the US called Speed. No word on whether those towns will also change their names.

Help keep The World going strong!

The article you just read is free because dedicated readers and listeners like you chose to support our nonprofit newsroom. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you hear the latest in international, human-centered reporting every weekday. But our work would not be possible without you. We need your help.

Make a gift today to help us reach our $25,000 goal and keep The World going strong. Every gift will get us one step closer.