RAC General Manager Corporate Affairs Will Golsby said the visit is part of working with the community to reducing the number of road fatalities and serious injuries in the Wheatbelt through consistent community education and awareness.
“The Community Education team has delivered road safety messages to more than 450,000 students since 2002,” Mr Golsby said.
“Students are taught the importance of safe driving and being a responsible passenger, as well as the effects of alcohol, speed and reckless behaviour.”
The Elephant in the Wheatbelt, a life-sized African elephant sculpture made out of wrecked cars, will also be visiting a number of Wheatbelt schools to continue to encourage discussion about the Wheatbelt’s unacceptably high road fatality rate.
“Last year, 161 people died in road crashes in Western Australia and 53 per cent occurred on country roads.
In 2015, the Wheatbelt road fatality rate was six times the Perth metropolitan rate, four times the state rate and well above nearby regions,” Mr Golsby said.
“The aim of the elephant is to generate conversation about this serious issue.”
In 2015, people aged 17 to 19 accounted for 10 per cent of the fatalities despite only making up four per cent of the population.
“The statistics are devastating and reinforce the importance of educating young drivers,” Mr Golsby said.
“These students are our next generation of drivers and we want to ensure they have a good understanding of road safety and the consequences of bad decisions.”
The Community Education team will visit Central Midlands SHS, Dalwallinu DHS, Wongan Hills DHS, Cunderdin DHS, Dowerin DHS, Mukinbudin DHS, Southern Cross DHS, Narembeen DHS, Merredin College and WA College of Agriculture.
RAC’s Community Education team travels across regional WA each year delivering road safety messages. For more information please visit the RAC website.
Media Contact: RAC Media Office 0401 703 719
