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Sunday May 19, 2013

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More deaths on our roads, we can't let this stand

Posted by: Neil Mitchell | 8 November, 2012 - 9:24 AM
Road toll

Sadly and tragically, is this the way the world must work?

Yesterday morning a cab driver called me in frustration. He’d been first at the scene of two fatal crashes in a week. He’d had enough.

We started talking and working through ideas. How do you get the message through to kids? How do you get the message to young drivers?

As we were doing that, a Court was jailing a young man – an unlicence driver – over the death of an 18-year-old girl called Georgie Thring.

It was the same story: a day of boozing, young drivers, stupidity, and an innocent young girl dead.

Her father was yesterday talking about the pain and the waste, trying to send a warning, and then a few hours later three teenagers are dead out at Coolaroo.

Speeding? Unlicenced? Who knows.

Three dead, more injured within hours of this court case. It is tragic stuff and we have to look for answers.

Again, we can’t let this stand.

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Blog comments Your Say

  • Hi Neil,
    I believe driver education in schools would help our young people.

    I have experience (sadly as a kinship carer) of the difficulties and challenges that many of our young people face now.

    More and more I believe that the Year 9 curriculum should not have an academic focus, but rather, it should be a year where life and social skills are developed in our young people.
    There is evidence that the brain development in 14-15 year olds is significanlty effected by the "pubetic" (my word!) development, and as such, their capacity to learn in an ordered and structured manner is compromised. If this is the case, then why do we insist that they spend this time in an ordered and structured environment??
    Instead, why do we not have them in an open and freer learning environment that focusses more on life, living, surviving and social skills than on academia?? such as:
    > Driver's education (Ability, defensive driving, speed, drugs &/or alcohol implications, etc)?
    > Drug and Alcohol education?
    > Exposure to the Alfred Hospital's 'trauma program'?
    > Cyber safety?
    > Bullying - both upfront and online?
    > Budgeting and financial skills?
    >etc, Etc

    Are these not the skills that our young people need in addition (and just as importantly) to a solid academic education??

    Let them go back to structured learning in Year 10 for a solid lead up to VCE or what ever other qual'n they choose to pursue, but while we can still legally insist they attend school, let's get those true life lessons in place.

    Happy to discuss further, or clarify if not clear.

    Regards,

    Beth
    ph: 0448 497 820

    Beth Laister Thursday 8 November, 2012 - 9:17 PM

  • Once again the revenue raisers will blame speed, they should be held responsible for ignoring poor driver training as the reason behind road deaths. If speed was the cause then the road toll would not be increasing considering the growing number of speed cameras.

    Dr Ablett Thursday 8 November, 2012 - 4:51 PM

  • Neil, regarding your call out as to what we can do to help keep our kids alive. It appears that education is the main objective not being met.

    The recent Herald Sun Survey told us this. Its disapointing some secondary schools only offer the Vic Roads keys program - which tells kids the "rules". Only a handful of schools are using the Traffic Safe program - which includes education on rules, plus importance of driver attitude, plus an in-school driver simulator car which is customised to Aussie conditions.

    The whole class recieves a 60 min presentation on driving safety, attitude etc. A qualified driving instructor stays with each student and gives them advise and tips. At the end of their 20 min session, he gives them a printed report. More info on their website: http://www.trafficsafe.com.au/school-programs. Happy to discuss with you if you want more info / benefits.

    Our schools prepare and educate students for life by giving them the best possible education. Why does this not include driving?

    What parent [or school] wouldnâ??t invest $35 to have their child given expert driver training and potentially avoid an accident/injury?

    Its time schools educated proactively.

    Regards
    Dean

    Dean Parker Thursday 8 November, 2012 - 4:02 PM

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