Council focused on young drivers

KARI HILL – on work experience

Young drivers are the focus in road safety plans drafted by Kiama Council’s Road Safety Steering committee for 2008 to 2010.

Young drivers make up 25 per cent of casualties on the road and include drivers aged 17 to 25 years.

There are three major projects for this group in the Road Safety Plan.

“Graduated Licensing Scheme” is one of the projects designed to help supervisors of learner drivers, especially parents.

Road and safety officer Joe Miklosi said the council and committee looked at the skills and experiences learner drivers would have to develop.

Workshops are designed to help supervisors with ideas to overcome their difficulties in teaching teenage drivers.

Last year in December, Kiama High School student Nicholas Quinn sat for his Learner’s test and successfully obtained a Learner’s licence.

Mr Quinn said that most of the time his driving lessons with his parents were good.

“Sometimes it can get a little stressful,” he said.

Three workshop nights will run each year, with two running on July 22 and October 14 and next year on April 7.

Another project, called “Rotary Youth Driver Awareness Program” (RYDA) is run throughout the Illawarra and is sponsored by the Rotary Club.

This program organises one-day workshops for Year 10 students.

The workshops provide practical road safety information that support the PE, PD Heath curriculum.

A representative from NRMA will speak to students about buying second-hand cars and police will talk about “safe celebrating” and the effects of alcohol on human performance.

Kiama’s first workshop is scheduled for October.

The third program, “Log book”, will run six times a year. This program provides valuable driving experience to young drivers at novice and experienced levels.

Night driving will also be included.

The next workshop is on July 15.

Other key target groups for behavioural change in this draft include motorcyclists and vulnerable older road users.

The committee included the Mayor, representatives from the RTA, local police, schools, Illawarra Heath, local community, the council’s manager design and development and the council’s road safety officer.