National Road Safety Week starts on Sunday. It's the initiative of Peter Frazer, whose daughter Sarah died in February 2012.

More than 11,000 Australians have been killed on the roads and more than 360,000 have been seriously injured since then.

"It is simply not acceptable that these tragedies are seen as regrettable but normal situations," Mr Frazer said.

"As these crashes are avoidable, we need to do more to ensure they do not happen and where they do occur, the outcomes must not be so serious as to maim or kill innocent people."

Ms Frazer was run down by a truck nine years ago after she pulled into the breakdown lane on the Hume Highway, south of Mittagong in the NSW southern highlands.

A tow truck driver assisting Ms Frazer, 40-year-old Geoffrey Clark, was also killed.

Buildings, bridges and icons across the country will be bathed in yellow light every night this week in remembrance of the 1200 people who die on Australian roads every year.

People are able to sign up to the "drive so others survive" pledge online.

Participants promise to drive as if their loved ones are on the road ahead, remove distractions including phones, and avoid speeding, drugs and alcohol.

The pledge also includes protecting vulnerable road users, especially those like Mr Clark whose job places them in harm's way, by slowing down and giving them space.

Some 36,700 people have already made the pledge.

Supporters of road safety can also use social media hashtags #nrsw or #drivesos and wear yellow ribbons.

The initiative is supported by the Commonwealth, state, territory and local governments, as well as road safety organisations and corporate partners.

South Australia's Police and Emergency Services Minister Vincent Tarzia will launch the week nationally on Sunday.

It comes after hundreds of people walked five kilometres around Melbourne's Albert Park Lake earlier this month to remember Victorians who have lost their lives on the roads.

The Northern Territory government has made $20,000 in grants available to support grassroots groups to deliver road safety education during the week.

Australian Associated Press