RAC’s Community Education team will take a trip to Albany next week to educate students about staying safe on the roads.
RAC General Manager Corporate Affairs, Will Golsby said 58 lives had already been lost on regional roads this year and it was crucial to educate students about road safety to reduce fatalities and serious injuries.
“Tragically, young drivers are some of the most vulnerable people on our roads, becoming even more high risk as they transition from supervised driving to provisional and full licenses,” Mr Golsby said.
“Last year, road users aged between 20 and 29 made up the highest number of fatalities in WA.
“Combine this with driving in regional areas, where the fatality rate is five times higher than Perth metropolitan, and it is clear young people in regional WA are at an even higher risk.
“Drivers are also becoming increasingly distracted, with inattention now comparable to the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by speed and drink driving.
RAC’s recent Young Driver Survey found that more than 50% of young drivers are using their phones behind the wheel, despite ranking the behaviour as more risky than low level drink driving.
“These results are very concerning and show that while young drivers recognise risky behaviour on the roads, many still engage in them,” Mr Golsby said.
“We want to help change young driver attitudes by ensuring future generations of drivers have a good understanding of road safety and the consequences of bad decisions.”
RAC’s Community Education team teaches students about the importance of safe driving and being a responsible passenger, as well as the effects of alcohol, speed, reckless behaviour and inattention.
The presentations are tailored according to the needs of local schools and combine visual, factual and interactive learning activities in a road safety workshop.
RAC’s Community Education team will visit John Calvin School, Denmark Senior High School, Albany Primary School, Albany Senior High School, Mount Barker Senior High School, North Albany Senior High School, St Joseph’s College, Bethel Christian College, Jerramungup District Senior High School, Gnowangerup District High School, Kojonup District High School and Kojonup District High School.
In addition to the workshops, RAC recommends students take advantage of other programs such as keys2drive which gives learner drivers a free lesson with an accredited driving instructor.
For more information about RAC Community Education, visit the RAC website.
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Media Contact: Mikayla Wearne - 0401 703 719 or media@rac.com.au
