Helping young drivers stay alive with the Drive 2 Survive programme

 A one day ‘Drive 2 Survive’ course is to be held for young drivers on Sunday, the 21st of September at the Oamaru Fire Brigade Hall.

The course is being offered by Waitaki District Council’s Community Safety Officer, the Police and the DARE programme. Its aim is to help reduce the number of car crashes involving young people.

 

Oamaru Police Sergeant, Peter Muldrew, says that teenage drivers have the highest crash risk of any age group and that they have the highest level of involvement in all types of crashes.

 

“The problem is worst among 16 year-olds, who have the most limited driving experience and an immaturity that often results in risk-taking behind the wheel. The characteristics of 16 year-olds' fatal crashes highlight these problems”.

 

The Drive 2 Survive course is being offered to young people aged between 16 and 25 years of age. The course teaches them skills to improve their driving awareness and level of road safety, with the intention of reducing the extremely high number from this age group killed and seriously injured on New Zealand roads every year.

Waitaki Community Safety Officer, Alison Banks, believes that the programme is vital and should be attended by youth who are about to learn to drive, as well as those who already have their full licence.

“Many of our crashes are caused by young drivers. They have limited experience and are put behind the wheels of cars with an increased risk of endangering not only their own lives, but those of passengers and other road users”.

 

Ms Banks says that building awareness and influencing the attitudes of young people to show foresight, courtesy, respect and safety awareness on the roads, is not just the responsibility of the authorities.

 

“The support of the community and parents are also essential in changing attitudes. However, having the Police, DARE, New Zealand Transport Agency, local emergency services, staff from Dunedin Hospital Emergency Department, and locals who have experienced the consequences of having their teenager involved or lost in a car crash, makes this course a must to attend for any young person”.

 

Currently in New Zealand, a 15-year-old can legally drive a car. New Zealand has the lowest legal driving age out of the entire developed world, and a flurry of recent motor accidents caused by young drivers is causing debate among politicians and the community about whether 15 is too young to hold a drivers license.

 

Those wanting to register for the course, or wanting more information, should contact their School Office or the Waitaki District Council.