By Hollie Harris
“RYDA” Rotary Youth Driver Awareness program is focused on our year 11 students in regional schools. This program is delivered to the students is completely free. The students attend a 1 day out of school program consisting of 6 Sessions, Speed and Stopping, Hazards and Distractions, The” I “ In Drive, Road Choices, Crash Investigators, and Genevieve Story .On the day the students are divided into 5 group to make sure that they are able to interact with the presenter.
RYDA focuses on cognition development, building and increasing social competency and resilience and motivating low risk behavior. Facilitators work with students to develop and practice personalised strategies and life skills which will help them respond positively to challenges on the road, both as drivers and highly influential passengers.
RYDA is an essential road safety platform for young drivers and their passengers – it doesn’t come from driving lessons, books or the school classroom. However, RYDA does support school curricula, giving teachers an important toolbox of additional resources and allowing them to harness the motivation and competencies taken from the RYDA day to enhance their classroom curriculum based lessons.
This program is not about teaching students to drive but plays a very important role in helping to make them aware of their responsibilities when they go out onto the road as a driver.
Overall the trip to the “RYDA” facility was educational, and had a astounding effect on all students that attended. And will hopefully have influence on the students enough to ensure that they never have this happen to them or they are not the cause of an accident in the future. It was amazing to have people come and talk to us about their tragic experience with road incidents and I am sure that what they had to say will stick with students there whole life.750 year 11 students have attended RYDA this year with no out of pocket cost to parents, students or schools.
Rotary determined to make a difference. It is their belief that if this program can save just one life than it has all been worthwhile.
Bookings: Contact your Yr 11/12 school coordinator or phone 54476458 / 5472011 / 00407377210. Find out more at www.rse.org.au.
