Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, May 22, 2024
In a landmark study involving over 860 students from Australia and New Zealand’s largest road safety education programme, RYDA, young participants have highlighted the driving behaviours that make them feel secure and those they view negatively.
The survey, conducted to coincide with National Road Safety Week, provides crucial insights into the perspectives of the next generation of drivers and their passengers.
Top of the list
The RYDA programme, known for transforming young drivers and passengers into road safety advocates, asked students to define what a road safety hero looks like to them. Tying into the theme “What is your Hero move?”, the survey inquired about the behaviours they appreciate in drivers and those they find concerning.
The students rated several behaviours highly for promoting safety. The top rated behaviour was pulling over and resting when tired, which underscores the importance of avoiding drowsy driving.
This was followed closely by conducting simple safety checks, such as monitoring tire pressure and tread. Other highly appreciated behaviours included turning off phones while driving, maintaining a safe following distance, planning routes to avoid speeding, and reducing speed in rainy conditions.
Driving under influence is uncool
In an impressive show, the behaviours that students rated most negatively were driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, using phones while driving, not wearing seatbelts, and speeding at any level. These responses highlight the significant safety concerns among young passengers.
The survey results were gathered at the conclusion of RYDA workshops, reflecting the programme’s emphasis on various road safety strategies. With over 60% of respondents already holding Learner licenses and the rest approaching that stage, these findings come at a critical time when young passengers are particularly attentive to driver behaviour. The results also align with previous research showing the need to reduce aggressive driving attitudes towards learner and novice drivers.
Prioritising safety over everything
Maria Lovelock, General Manager New Zealand and Group Engagement, emphasised the importance of these findings: “What this shows is that passengers want their drivers to prioritise safety above all else. Road safety ‘hero’ moves include simple measures such as removing the temptation to use phones while driving, leaving enough space between cars, ensuring the driver is in the right state of mind to drive, and listening to passengers’ concerns.”
During National Road Safety Week, a special focus is placed on youth road safety, making these insights especially relevant. Ms Lovelock added, “This is a timely reminder for all drivers to model positive road safety behaviour, particularly for the next generation of drivers.”
Awareness is key
The research highlights that young people are not only aware of what safe driving looks like but also recognise behaviours that make them feel uncomfortable and unsafe. This awareness is a vital component of fostering a culture where road safety is viewed as a collective social responsibility.
“We are particularly pleased to see that the behaviour young road users look for in their peers is so heavily skewed towards safety. The negative view that youths have towards speeding, phone use, and driving under the influence is a strong sign that the culture is shifting towards viewing road use as a shared responsibility.”
About the organisation
Road Safety Education Limited (RSE), is a not for profit organisation which runs best practice road safety programmes for young people throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Their RYDA programme, employs a comprehensive approach to teaching road safety, targeting senior high school students through workshops and classroom lessons.
Each year, approximately 60,000 Year 11 and 12 students in Australia and New Zealand participate in RYDA’s full day workshops, which are supplemented with individual and class activities.
Additionally, parents can take part in Drive Coach, a new initiative launching in Tasmania during National Road Safety Week, which offers free information sessions to help them support their teen drivers.
To date, over 775,000 young people have participated in RYDA, demonstrating the significant impact the programme has had on enhancing road safety awareness and practices among the youth.
RYDA is supported by corporate sponsors such as Bridgestone, VTNZ, and Toyota, and receives significant backing from community partner Rotary clubs across New Zealand. Through these partnerships, RYDA continues to make a substantial impact on road safety education for young people.
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Hamilton.
