With nearly 60% of Australia's road fatalities occurring on regional and remote roads, and those aged between 16 and 25 most vulnerable, a new road safety program for schools has been devised with the aid of a QUT academic.
The BRAKE Rural and Remote - an Educational Guide to Road Safety for secondary schools across regional, remote, and urban Queensland will be available from the start of term one, 2025.
Designed for Year 10 and 11 students, the online program allows teachers to integrate road safety lessons into regular classroom settings, with topics including how to share the road with trucks and other potential hazards or risks for inexperienced drivers.
Funded by the Queensland Government's Community Road Safety Grants Scheme, it builds upon the award-winning BRAKE Driver Awareness Program, which has already been delivered to 80,000 high school students in more than 160 Queensland public and private schools.
Dr Hugh Shannon, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education with the QUT School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences provided curriculum advice based on his professional fields which include health and road safety education.
"National road data indicates significantly greater fatality rates in regional and remote areas than urban and metropolitan areas," said Dr Shannon.
"Queensland schools are an important setting where transport safety education can be provided, however understanding driving conditions and unique characteristics of regional and remote areas should not be constrained to schools in these locations.
"Students from urban and metropolitan areas should also gain awareness of ways to promote the safety of themselves and others whilst driving in regional and remote areas."
Rob Duncan, CEO of BRAKE Driver Awareness said the new program was designed to address the needs for students from all backgrounds.
"A large proportion of crashes in regional and remote Queensland involve people who are inexperienced in driving on rural roads," said Mr Duncan who is a decorated former police officer.
"This program will equip students, whether they are from urban or regional areas, with the knowledge and skills to navigate these challenging conditions safely."
The program places an emphasis on educating drivers about truck and rail safety in regional areas.
"Understanding how to share the road safely with trucks and being aware of rail crossings is crucial in regional Queensland," said Mr Duncan.
"Many urban drivers are unfamiliar with these aspects of rural driving, which can lead to dangerous situations. Our program addresses this critical knowledge gap."
BRAKE also plans to release a module focused on personal mobility devices, such as e-scooters, in early 2025.
"With greater use of e-scooters in Queensland, this is another aspect of transport safety that needs to be addressed to support various road users, including pedestrians," said Dr Shannon.
