Year 11s Learn Powerful Lessons in Road Safety

On Wednesday, 26 February, our Year 11 students participated in the RAC Project Road Smart event held at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre. The event, designed to promote safe road practices, provided students with important lessons about the dangers of unsafe driving and practical advice on how to reduce risk-taking behaviours both as drivers and passengers.

The event showcased the tragic consequences of distracted driving, speeding, and drink driving. By demonstrating these dangers, the program encouraged students to make better choices on the road.

The day included:

• Real-life stories and experiences shared by individuals who have been affected by road accidents.

• A powerful presentation depicting the tragic consequences of unsafe driving behaviours.

• Emergency Services Interaction: Students had the opportunity to meet with emergency service workers, gaining a deeper understanding of the impact of road incidents.

Student Reflections

Riley Osiejak shared, "The talk was amazing as it showed me that being a safe driver and passenger in a motorised vehicle is super important as most crashes could end up fatal. This made me feel sick in the stomach as the videos and the story were so gruesome. The one thing I learnt was that you should not drink and drive."

Jacob Napoli reflected, "The RAC excursion was very interesting. We learnt about how to be responsible when driving and how to make the correct choices. We also learnt about the consequences of speeding, distracting the driver, and driving after drinking alcohol."

Siya Chopra found the event deeply impactful: "The purpose of the RAC excursion was to teach us to be safe on the roads. We sat down and listened to a car accident survivor called Rob Pike, who explained to us that we should be safe. He also told us that he lost his three best friends to a car crash. We also heard from emergency personnel, who advised us to always take care of ourselves first. One thing the RAC excursion taught me was that I’m responsible for myself and everyone on the road. It made me feel sad, but it taught me to be careful and to cherish the little things in life, not knowing what could happen next."

Nicola Childs had this to say about the experience: "The RAC Road Safety Excursion was an eye-opening experience. We had many guest speakers who gave us their stories about either saving lives or how road accidents completely changed their lives. We also had guest speakers from the Police Force and the RAC Emergency Rescue Team. After the presentation, we were given the opportunity to go outside and speak to the Emergency Teams in person. I went inside an ambulance and learnt about how they save lives on the road. They also had an RAC rescue helicopter for us to learn about and explore. Overall, it was an amazing experience, and it gave us an amazing insight into the jobs of emergency teams and the cases they see each day."

Indigo Grant found the experience both confronting and relatable: "The RAC road safety presentation was quite confronting but fun at the same time. It did a good job of relating to teenagers, which made the shock factor work quite well."

The RAC Project Road Smart event served as a powerful reminder of the responsibility each of us has on the road and the life-changing impact that our decisions can have.