NOOSA District State High School Year 11 social and community studies students learnt about the life of a driving instructor, thanks to a special presentation from Rightway Driving School instructor Phillip Ryan.
Mr Ryan told the students not to stress about not knowing what to do after school as careers are very transient and changeable these days, and many people have multiple jobs before they find the right one.
Work in areas like landscaping, mining, hospitality and emergency response were tried out by Mr Ryan, before he took on his current role as a driving instructor.
Many students recognised Mr Ryan from his presentation at the Year 11 RYDA excursion, run by the Rotary Club, which focused on road safety.
Mr Ryan explained and demonstrated how to best hold a steering wheel and manoeuvre turns in a safe manner, without jeopardising wrists, hands or fingers in the event of an airbag deployment.
“Many people lose thumbs when the airbag shoots out at over 200 kilometres per hour, because they are holding the steering wheel with their thumbs in the way,” Mr Ryan said.
The students were reminded to be careful about singing or talking to themselves in the car, as the police could mistake them for using Bluetooth or wireless communication, which is not permitted for P-Plated drivers.
Loose items in the car and the risks they pose were also discussed, with Mr Ryan describing one of the worst call-outs he had in emergency response with a driver involved in a crash who had an unsecured chainsaw in his vehicle.
“Needless to say, the result of the crash with the unsecured chainsaw was pretty disastrous. It’s important to secure down even simple items like water-bottles, because they can be launched through the windscreen or hit the driver in the head, resulting in terrible injuries,“ Mr Ryan said.
The class enjoyed taking a look at Mr Ryan’s vehicle, with its dual pedals, and he encouraged the students to gain more driving experience over the school holidays.
