Community work to prevent drivers from becoming a statistic
IN 2018 226 young people died on Australian roads and 30 people were seriously injured.
The Kingaroy, Murgon and Taabinga Rotary Clubs are working to prevent young South Burnett drivers and their passengers from becoming a statistic.
The rotary clubs have once again teamed up with Road Safety Education Limited to bring the award winning youth road safety program RYDA to the community.
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More than 350 South Burnett school students will take part in the program at Kingaroy Tafe on May 1-2 from 9.30am-2pm.
This will bring the total number of students in the South Burnett educated through the program over 10 years to 2,500.
RSE Program Director Greg Rappo said the program fills a gap in education that is not provided from driving lessons or in a classroom.
"RYDA is a series of practical and powerful workshops for high school students that challenge students to change the way they think about road safety and lay the foundation for safe road use throughout their lives," he said.
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"RYDA focuses on building and increasing social competency and resilience and motivating low-risk behaviour. Trained facilitators work with students to develop and practice personalised strategies which will help them respond positively to challenges on the road, both as drivers and highly influential passengers."
Kingaroy's RYDA co-ordinator Geoff Hosking said the great thing about the program was that with the support of local Rotary Clubs, it can be run in all communities, by local road safety and education professionals, including the police.
"Youth Road Trauma is a community problem that needs a whole of community response." Mr Hosking said.
"Our local rotary club and RSE are in a unique position to bring together all the essential elements to provide an effective and highly successful road safety education program for young people."
This initiative is supported by funding from the Queensland Government's Community Road Safety Grants scheme and corporate partners, BOC, Toyota Australia, Bridgestone, MTAA Super and Boral Limited as well as community partner, Rotary.
