Half-a-million students now safer drivers thanks to Rotary
Students from Rutherford College hosted a short ceremony to recognise National Road Safety Week earlier in May to celebrate the half a million young people across Australia and New Zealand who have gone onto our roads as safer young drivers and passengers after participating in the RYDA Programme. The programme is supported by many Rotary clubs in District 9920 involving their local schools. More clubs can become involved! Contact John Overall.
When the RYDA road safety education programme was initiated in November 2006, New Zealand had an annual road toll of 393 deaths, including 103 young people aged 15-24. Last year, the road toll stood at 328 deaths, with 81 from the youth age group. While these statistics show a 17% decrease in the overall road toll, they importantly show an encouraging 22% decrease in the 15 – 24 age group.
These statistics provide additional evidence that the Graduated Licensing Scheme (GLS) for novice drivers and an increased focus on youth driver education through programmes such as RYDA is certainly having an impact in helping to save young lives on our roads. However, it is still a national tragedy that 81 young people lost their life on New Zealand roads last year and more must be done to reach the vision for “Zero Youth Road Trauma”.