The Road Safety Commission has presented around 50 young leaders from Clontarf Aboriginal College with an introduction to the risks and responsibilities of driving on the road, at a time when many of them are planning to go for their own licences.
According to Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner, the young leaders were shown educational videos recently developed by the Commission and Department of Transport, outlining the risks of not wearing a seatbelt, using mobile phones and speeding.
Mr Warner said the young leaders were also provided with sobering information and statistics relating to the number of young people killed and injured on WA roads.
“Despite making up just a small fraction of drivers, people aged 17 to 19 are overrepresented in fatalities on our roads, making up roughly 10 per cent of all people killed,” Mr Warner said.
He said the opportunity to present to the student leaders who came from all over Western Australia including areas of the Kimberley in the far north, was a unique and valuable experience.
“Young drivers are some of the most vulnerable on our roads, so it’s fantastic to have the opportunity to speak to these students about the risks they face, and the responsibility that now rests on their shoulders to be responsible road users,” he said.
“These young men are leaders in their communities and amongst their peer groups, and I am confident the information they’ve received will allow them to be role models to other young people when it comes to road safety,” Mr Warner said.
