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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-03-24 Daily Xml
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ROAD SAFETY EDUCATION

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (14:31): My question is to the Minister for Road Safety. Can the minister advise the house on what the government is doing to convey road safety messages to young South Australians?

The Hon. T.R. KENYON (Newland—Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Minister Assisting the Premier with South Australia's Strategic Plan) (14:31): I thank the member for Taylor for her question. She has a keen interest in young people and their road safety and works very hard at it. It is a sad fact that road crashes are the leading cause of death of people under the age of 25. Each year some 8,700 drivers aged between 16 and 24 are involved in a crash often caused by one of the killer five. The killer five are, of course, inattention, speeding, fatigue, drink and/or drug driving, and not wearing a seat belt.

An honourable member: That's six.

The Hon. T.R. KENYON: Drink and/or drug, you can combine it to one.

Ms Bedford interjecting:

The Hon. T.R. KENYON: Not in any order, that's correct member for Florey. Earlier this month, the RAA Street Smart event was held in the Entertainment Centre for students from years 10 to 12. This brought together 3,500 students from more than 30 high schools to participate in South Australia's largest road safety event. Students witnessed a simulated crash scene, took part in interactive displays from more than 20 government and non-government agencies, and viewed a braking distance demonstration. This event, narrated by leading trauma surgeon Dr Bill Griggs, illustrated how easy it is for a car crash to occur, the response of the emergency services and the long-term shockwaves that affect family and friends, and can last for weeks, months and years afterwards.

The event was presented in a hard-hitting way and was certainly not intended to be a fun experience. The students took home a serious message. This message was intensified by listening to stories from two young people, in particular, who have had their lives torn apart by road trauma. Eli Murn was one of South Australia's best volleyball players who was being groomed to be a potential Olympian when he was involved in a crash that left him with a brain injury. The other speaker was Tegan Lloyd, who was a 15-year-old passenger at the time of her crash. She was in a car being driven by her friend who was on her P plates.

Pre and post-event polling showed that 90 per cent of students felt that Street Smart had impacted their attitude to drink-driving and speeding, and 83 per cent also said that attending Street Smart impacted their attitude to texting whilst driving. This event builds on this government's commitment to increasing education for young drivers. I commend the organisers of the event for giving students an opportunity to experience the harsh reality of the responsibilities and consequences of the actions of all drivers on our roads.

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