Bunbury student sends strong road safety message
14 October 2010
The RAC says young Western Australians will continue to die in road accidents unless they are willing to speak up when their friends drive dangerously.
The warning comes as the RAC announced that Year 12 Manea Senior College student Emma-Rose Tolmachoff had beaten entrants from across the State to win the RAC’s Fame competition for 2010.
Emma-Rose was one of almost 60 entrants in the road safety competition which asked year 10, 11 and 12 students to create a billboard advertisement focusing on the impact peer pressure can have on young drivers.
RAC Head of Member Advocacy Matt Brown said too many young people were dying on Western Australian roads.
“Peer pressure can be both a negative and a positive in road safety,” Mr Brown said.
“Our research shows that young drivers admit that they change their behaviour when they have peers in the car as passengers. Young men in particular tend to indulge in more risk taking behaviour to impress their mates.
“But peer pressure can be a positive if young passengers are prepared to speak up when their friend’s driving become dangerous.
“We have to teach young people that speaking up when their friends are speeding, drink driving or risk taking behind the wheel could save the lives of everyone in that car.
“Remaining silent can lead to tragedy.
“There have been a number of recent high profile incidents where young people have tragically lost their lives on our roads.”
The Fame competition is one way the RAC is working to educate young drivers about the dangers they face on the roads and the responsibilities associated with having a licence.
The competition is an initiative of the RAC’s Take Control campaign which aims to create safer young drivers on WA’s roads through targeted education and interaction with young drivers and their parents.
Mr Brown said Emma-Rose’s billboard would send a strong message to young drivers.
“The roads are a dangerous place, especially for people who are new to driving. Between 2007 and 2009, 137 drivers aged between 17 and 24 died on Western Australia’s roads*,” he said.
“Emma-Rose’s artwork of roadside crosses by a large tree is something all drivers recognise and can relate to, particularly those in regional areas.”
According to an RAC survey of young drivers, half said better education and training was the key to improving road safety.
“The Fame competition is all about education and communication between peers. For many young people, what they teach themselves through Fame is likely to be one of the most compelling and memorable road safety messages they receive,” Mr Brown said.
The RAC’s Community Education department coordinates the Fame competition and also interacts with more than 25,000 school students each year to educate them on road safety topics.
As the winner of Fame, Emma-Rose received a $1000 cash prize and will have her billboard displayed in Bunbury and the metropolitan area. Her school received a $1000 Rebel Sport voucher.
*WA Police statistics
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