Why Ian Aranyosi is urging you to take a break on the roads

"My wife had left home that morning to go to Warrnambool with my youngest daughter Cassie and her six-month-old child Hamish to enjoy one of those days of mother-daughter things of shopping, coffees and lunch.

"No-one could have imagined what was going to happen a couple of hours later.

"I was sitting at home waiting for Heather to get home from Warrnambool that night ... then came the news that none of us ever wanted to hear. My wife, my daughter and my six-month-old grandson had been involved in a fatal head-on crash near Cressy on their way home from Warrnambool."

Mr Aranyosi's wife of 36 years, Heather, was flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital while his daughter was flown to the Alfred Hospital. His grandson was taken to the Royal Children's Hospital.

An older couple travelling in the other car died at the scene.

"I don't want anyone else to feel like I did at that moment. It was the worst feeling I've ever felt," Mr Aranyosi said.

After rushing to the Royal Melbourne Hospital he met his eldest daughter and spoke with the head of emergency. It was there he was told his wife was on life support and she would not be heading home.

Two days later, on May 19 - Mr Aranyosi's 59^th birthday - Heather died.

"The hardest part still for me is to see the heartbreak in my four children's eyes and to watch my now nine-year-old grandson's cry every time Heather's name is mentioned," he said.

"They now don't have the opportunity to play with the world's best grandma."

Daughter Cassie spent months in rehabilitation and hospital while Hamish escaped with only some bruising.

"That was due solely to the top quality Maxi Cosi baby capsule that was professionally fitted in Cassie's car," Mr Aranyosi said.

Heather Aranyosi also left a lasting legacy, with her donated organs saving up to seven people.

"The effect (road trauma) has on a wide range of people is just too much for the community to handle and we need to try and stop it," Mr Aranyosi said.

Mr Aranyosi shared his story to help launch a "Pause Stop" initiative in a bid to reduce driver fatigue on Victoria's roads during long journeys.

The Transport Accident Commission has partnered with the Victoria Tourism Industry Council to set up 15 "Pause Stop" locations within Visitor Information Centres across the state, including at Ballarat's Town Hall.

Drivers travelling over the Christmas and New Year period are urged to take a break during their journeys and visit 'Pause Stop' locations to help prevent fatigue; in-turn preventing crashes, serious injury and loss of lives.

Each location provides visitors with resources including information on how to avoid driver fatigue and how to plan a safe journey as well as children's activities.

"As you start to travel around the state this upcoming Christmas and holiday period as we all like to do is get in the the car and drive. It is a natural thing that all Victorians do every day," Victoria Tourism Industry Council acting chief executive Chris Porter said.

"This partnership we have formed to express this safe driving message is such an important message so that we can be there at Christmas and come home safe with memories from our holidays."

TAC Head of Road Safety Samantha Cockfield said the aim of the "Pause Stop" locations is to tackle driver fatigue - a significant factor in crashes on Victorian roads.

"We can't forget that there are more than 280 families across our state heading into the holiday period missing someone they've lost to road trauma this year," Ms Cockfield said.

She also urged people planning to travel long distances over the holiday period to allow plenty of time to travel, drive to the conditions, remove distractions, take regular breaks and get a good nights sleep before heading off.

According to the TAC, the Ballarat local government area has recorded one fatality between January 1, 2023 and December 19, 2023.

For more information on "Pause Stop" locations, including an interactive map, head online.

The TAC is also working with the Victorian State Emergency Service to support the Driver Reviver program, a similar initiative encouraging drivers to take a break on long journeys.

Visit ses.vic.gov.au for more information.