April 18, 2013
Road accidents can happen to you … they’re real, people can be hurt or die, but very often they can be avoided if drivers act safely.
That was the road safety message more than 380 Year 11 students from Murgon, Nanango and Kingaroy State high schools and St Mary’s Catholic College would have taken away from the Kingaroy TAFE College this week.
The RYDA workshops, organised by the Kingaroy Rotary Club, were held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Senior Sergeant Duane Frank, officer-in-charge of Kingaroy Police, is full of praise for the program which targets new or soon-to-be drivers.
“Nothing else like this exists in the South Burnett,” Snr Sgt Frank said.
“These students may already be driving or will be driving this year.”
On Thursday, it was Kingaroy State High School’s turn to run through the program.
About 220 students assembled at the TAFE College to attend five different workshops and watch a practical driving demonstration on the closed-off Geritz Road.
Senior Constable Paul Britten, from Kingaroy Police, demonstrated in an unmarked police car how far it takes to pull up to a dead stop from various speeds.
Four students had the opportunity of riding along for each demonstration while their classmates watched on.
The safety talks, held inside the TAFE campus, included what to look for when buying a car (ie the safety features), and common hazards, distractions and risks.
Police, Rotary members and emergency services personnel spoke to the students about their experiences.
A special talk was given by former South Burnett resident Dennis Greensill. who was paralysed in a motorcycle accident when he was just 15.
Dennis has spoken at every RYDA program held in Kingaroy.
He told the students they always had a choice not to do something stupid: “Think about it and ask yourself ‘What would mum say?’,” he said.
He urged them to stay safe.
“I have seen so many people who have been hurt or injured for no reason,” he said. “If you see your mate doing something stupid, talk to them …”
The RYDA program was developed by Road Safety Education Ltd (a not-for-profit company) in conjunction with Rotary Clubs around Australia in response to the tragic loss of young people in road crashes.
Young people aged 17-25 represent less than 15 per cent of the population yet account for about 25 per cent of deaths and injuries on Australian roads.
This is the fourth year the RYDA program has been hosted at the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE in Kingaroy.
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