RAC General Manager Corporate Affairs, Will Golsby, said the Community Education team had delivered road safety messages to more than 450,000 students since 2002.
“Students are taught the importance of safe driving and being a responsible passenger, as well as the effects of alcohol, speed and reckless behaviour,” Mr Golsby said.
“In 2015, people aged 17 to 19 had the highest age specific fatality rate. These results are worrying and reinforce the importance of educating young drivers.”
RAC’s most recent young driver survey showed more than half of those surveyed sent or read a text message while driving, while 84 per cent admitted to driving while tired or fatigued.
“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,” Mr Golsby said.
RAC’s Community Education team will visit Esperance Anglican Community School, Esperance Residential College, Esperance SHS, Esperance SHS Education Support Centre, Norseman DHS, Ravensthorpe DHS and Wongutha Christian Aboriginal Parent-Directed School.
The presentations are tailored according to the needs of local schools and combine visual, factual and interactive learning activities in a road safety workshop.
Students will also hear from Paraplegic Benefit Fund’s Karen Harvey, who will share her own personal road trauma story.
Ms Harvey became a paraplegic at the age of 22 when the vehicle she was a passenger in collided with a bridge.
Ms Harvey said it was important for students to understand that properly assessing risky situations and making smart decisions could preserve their safety.
“I saw all the warning signs but thought nothing would happen to me,” Ms Harvey said. RAC’s Community Education team will make 10 trips to schools in regional Western Australia in 2016.
For more information about RAC Community Education please visit the RAC website.
Media Contact: RAC Media Office 0401 703 719
