By JESSE GRAHAM
A LOT can change in 20 years.Two decades have passed since Peter Hall’s two teenage sons, Anthony and Travis, were tragically killed in a Cockatoo car accident, and he remains resolute that one road death is one too many.
Mr Hall was the Upwey Fire Brigade’s 1st Lieutenant when his sons, aged 15 and 13 respectively, died on 4 January 1995 – they had accepted a lift to a milk bar from a friend, who failed to negotiate a bend and crashed into a tree.
To mark the anniversary each year, Mr Hall visits the site of the crash to lay flowers. The 20th anniversary earlier this month was no exception.
“It’s the only time I ever go near there,” he said.
He told the Mail that a post on Upwey Fire Brigade’s Facebook page on the anniversary spurred on a number of heartfelt tributes and kind words for Peter and his wife, Liz.
One of the most poignant tributes, according to Mr Hall, was from the Cockatoo Fire Brigade.
“They actually had to attend the accident at the time,” he said.
“I know it was very hard for some of their people – some of those people are still in the brigade, same as ours.
“Right through the whole 20 years, the support we’ve had has been absolutely amazing, from the likes of the paper, the brigades, friends and the public – it does help you, you know, handle it a bit better. You never get over it, but you do tend to live with it as time goes on.”
At the time of his death, Anthony was captain of the Junior Brigade at Upwey.
One of the silver linings in the years following the death of the boys was the establishment of the Anthony and Travis Hall Memorial Driver Education Fund, which has been running for around 17 years.
The Memorial Education Fund, in partnership with Murcotts Driving Excellence, provides young drivers with a number of safe driving courses, which are valued around $300 apiece.
Mr Hall said it was suggested by a member of the brigade who had taken his daughter for a defensive driving course.
Combined with the work of local identity Peter Marke and sponsorship from businesses and residents, the fund has seen around 80 drivers take on the course and learn how to navigate dangerous and potentially life-threatening situations.
Mr Hall said the important message for young drivers was that the learning process never stopped, and a life could be wasted in seconds due to bad decision- making.
“I’ve been driving heavy trucks, buses and fire trucks for over 50 years, and I’m still learning,” he said.
“The trouble is, you try to tell this to young ones, but, no, they’ve got a bit of paper and a P-plate on their windscreen.
“I did some stupid things (driving) when I was young, I think we all did. But nowadays, you can’t do it – you’ve got to be so careful out there.”
The road toll is an important issue for Mr Hall, who, with his wife, took part in the TAC Pictures of You Campaign – the anti-speeding campaign features families holding photographs of children who have died on the roads.
The numbers that make up the road toll become more significant when every two could be someone else’s Anthony and Travis Hall.
He’s seen the toll drop over the years – the Victorian road toll in 2013 was the lowest on record at 243 deaths – but Mr Hall said the amount of road deaths in the last decade alone was still staggering.
Between 1 January 1996 and 1 January 2015, 6449 people have been killed on Victorian roads – almost enough to wipe the entire town of Upwey off of the map.
As a firefighter of over 47 years, Mr Hall is often called out to road crashes where serious injuries or fatalities occur, but he said despite everything, he still turned out and worked behind the scenes when he could.
“Sometimes, I’ve come home upset,” he said.
“But I think if I didn’t go, I’d be chucking in the towel which, for me, isn’t on.”
A lot can change in 20 years, but Mr Hall’s memory of his sons – whose antics earned them the nicknames of Search and Destroy – remains as strong as ever.
More details about this this year’s safe driving courses offered through the Anthony and Travis Hall Memorial Driver Education Fund will be announced later in the year.
