Two stadiums, four regions and 15,000 students wiser: road safety message grows

• RAC bstreetsmart attracted 14,500 public and private high school students to learn the impacts of severe road crash trauma on March 25 and 26.
• RAC Project Road Smart at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre delivered the same messages to about 1300 senior high schoolers on February 26 and 27.
• It will also travel to Kalgoorlie on June 19, Broome, August 6, and Albany, October 22, with St John WA (SJWA) local stations participating.

Almost 15,000 teenagers flocked to RAC Arena over two days, not for the likes of pop star Katy Perry but as part of the growing popularity of RAC bstreetsmart events with WA emergency services.

Since its inception in 2012, RAC bstreetsmart has educated more than 100,000 year 10 to 12 students about road safety and the dangers of reckless driving.

St John WA was among the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and WA Police Force to re-enact a live car crash, requiring the jaws of life to free trapped actors, to public and private high school students on March 25 and 26.

The students also listened to guest motivational speaker Rob Pike, who at the age of 17 lost three mates and his legs when the car he was travelling in spun out of control and split in half  after hitting a tree.

They also heard from retired trauma surgeon, Dr Sudhakar Rao, about  the serious injuries sustained in a crash.

The day ended with some helpful advice on how to say no by Happiness Co. Founder and CEO Julian Pace.

A similar event held at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre over two days in February, delivered the same messages to about 1,300 senior high schoolers from Busselton, Bunbury to Harvey.

RAC Project Road Smart features a filmed crash docudrama, which showcases emergency services’ response and guest speakers who have been directly affected by road trauma, followed by an outdoor interaction session with SJWA’s Event Health Services team and other emergency services.

“RAC Project Road Smart focuses on driver and passenger behaviour and highlights the far-reaching effects of road crashes,” said Youth and Community Engagement Manager Lyndell Savage.

“We are proud to be one of the participating partners in spreading these vital road safety messages across our vast state to students who are about to go for their licence, and whose lives can be forever changed in just an instant.”

SJWA has long advocated for new drivers to undergo first aid training before getting behind a wheel and last year ran the first of its kind joint campaign with the Road Safety Commission, Anyone Can Save a Life.

The event will also travel to Kalgoorlie on June 19, Broome, August 6, and Albany, October 22, with SJWA local stations participating.

If you or anyone you know has been affected by a road crash, contact Road Trauma Support WA on 1300 004 814.

New drivers can learn free online first aid here: https://firstaidforme.stjohnwa.com.au/first-aid-for-new-drivers

St John WA’s First Responder App can be downloaded here: https://stjohnwa.com.au/online-resources/st-john-first-responder-app