Crash course in road trauma for Bunbury students

More than 1200 students across Bunbury learned about the consequences of risky driving last week with RAC Project Road Smart.

The event was held at Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre across Wednesday and Thursday to teach students the realities of road trauma.

Students heard from emergency service workers and guest speakers, including the personal story of Robert Pike who was involved in a tragic crash which led to the loss of three friends and his legs below the knees.

My story shows how the attitude of ‘it won’t happen to me’ can have lifelong ramifications.

Hope Christian College teacher Lena King said students learned about the importance of being safe when they drove and how small choices could have the biggest effect on their future.

“This year they all turn 16 and they’re getting their L plates so with that they need to know how to be safe in the car and look after one another,” she said.

I hope their main takeaways are obviously don’t drink and drive, don’t distract the driver, don’t go driving without a seat belt — so obviously stay safe in the car.

RAC general manager corporate affairs Will Golsby said an alarming number of young drivers were seriously injured on WA roads, with those aged 17 to 25 at a particularly high risk.

“Young people are often inexperienced and can be over-confident, a deadly combination made worse when driving in regional areas where the road fatality rate is six times higher than Perth metropolitan,” he said.