This year’s Rotary Youth Driver Awareness Program (RYDA) is celebrating its 10^th year educating the region’s high school students about the importance of road safety.

Seventeen-year-old Maggie Bramic who had completed the program last year as a student was brought to tears as she bravely recounted her near death experience after crashing a car while camping with her friends three years ago at Nethercote Falls.

“I just hope that one day they’ll be camping with their mates like I was and stop someone else from doing the same thing,” she said.

Sixteen-year-old Bega High school student Jed Richards said he had learnt some valuable lessons in just the first few hours of the day’s sessions.

“I’ve learnt to leave more space between cars and not to get distracted,” he said after a short lesson showing students how long it can take a car travelling at slow speed to come to a stop.

After listening to the personal stories of crash survivors, L-Plate drivers Abbey Scarr, Tahlia Braunack and Tabetha McCoy said they were shocked at how often horrific accidents happen on Australian roads.

“I’ve learnt a lot because I didn’t realise how long it takes to stop,” Tabetha said.

The Bega High School students said it was common for their male peers to “show off to their friends” while “trying to be cool” in cars.

John Perry has been sharing his harrowing crash survival story to students in the program for many years.

“You can only emphasise that you don’t want anyone else to go through the same thing you have,” he said.

He was concerned the shared experience side of the program had been reduced to 10 minutes each speaker this year.

“It’s just not as beneficial to the kids because it takes longer than 10 minutes to get into it,” he said.

The program has brought in log books this year with the students encouraged to answer quizzes and ask questions throughout the day.

Schools involved in Tuesday’s programming were Bega High School, South Coast Anglican College and Bombala High School.

“We learnt how important it is to go the speed limit,” Bombala student Teri Roberson said.

The Bombala group had just finished a session with motorbike rider and crash survivor Glenn Cotter.

“It is a great program,” Mr Cotter said after his first time talking to students about his December 2015 accident.

“It’s about getting kids thinking about what it does to the family after and the massive ripple effect a crash has.”

Mr Cotter’s words resonated with Bombala student Jess Herron who had planned a one and a half hour drive to Jindabyne after the day’s lessons.

“Glenn’s speech made me want to cry,” she said.

“It was so personal.”