- New road safety campaign targeted at this year's class of Leavers
- 17 to 19-year-olds are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash
- Road Safety Commission encourages leavers to visit its stands at Leavers events
The Cook Government has launched a new campaign urging this year's class of school leavers to be safe on the roads, while responsibly enjoying the end of their high school years.
The campaign is in response to the shocking statistic that 17 to 19-year-olds are twice as likely to be involved in fatal crashes than other drivers.
It is also a sad fact that for every death on the road there are 10 serious injuries and these injuries may be life-changing.
These statistics are the driver behind a new road safety campaign specially targeted at Leavers.
Wheelmates has been designed to target young drivers, and encourages them to look out for each other on the roads this Leavers.
Young people will see this campaign on their social media feeds, billboards, YouTube, on the radio, and in print.
The campaign will run in tandem with the recent hard-hitting 'Speed shatters your excuses' advertisements.
The top four messages are:
- Prepare - Check your car's tyres, lights, oil and water;
- Distraction - Phone down, eyes up. Get a passenger to be a navigator or DJ;
- Fatigue - Share the drive and plan plenty of breaks to combat fatigue; and
- Restraint - Buckle up, every time.
For more information, visit www.rsc.wa.gov.au/wheelmates
As stated by Road Safety Minister David Michael:
"Driving a car may very well be the most dangerous thing that your son or daughter does on a daily basis, particularly when they are new to the roads.
"The human body is just not designed to withstand the forces generated when a 1500kg car hits another object and decelerates from 100kmh to 0 in an instant.
"As parents you cannot be in the car with your children all the time. This is why you have a responsibility to do your best to help prepare your children for the challenges of the road, especially at this time of year, when many young drivers will be embarking on their first road trip down to Leavers.
"If you can do just one thing to make your child's drive safer it is to ensure that they always, always put on a seatbelt. You may be surprised to know that 20 per cent of the people who died in cars on our roads over the past five years were not wearing a seatbelt.
"I encourage leavers to visit the Road Safety Commission booths at the Dunsborough wristband collection point and the BeachFest to find out more about being a Wheelmate."
