Crash course jolts students

By Sarah Schwager
CRANBOURNE students yesterday learnt the harsh realities of the road in a ‘Fit To Drive’ program.
Year 11 students from Lyndhurst Secondary College looked on as the CFA, Victoria Police, VicRoads and a victim of road trauma demonstrated how road accidents affected all those involved, including emergency workers.
The event was timely with Cranbourne’s 10th fatality recorded just over a fortnight ago, prompting a harsh warning from the Region Five Police Assistant Commissioner for local drivers to step up their game.
The deaths in the Cranbourne Response Zone made up 10 of 11 recorded on Casey roads this year.
Yesterday’s event ran all day as the Year 11s took part in the driver education program, learning about road safety and the consequences of an accident.
The event became more real as the SES was called away to an accident.
Lyndhurst Secondary College senior teaching and learning leader Geoff McMillan said the CFA began the event by cutting up a car that had been smashed in an accident.
“The noise and damage was as it would happen in an accident,” he said. “It was a real visual thing of how it would be. It was very graphic. The kids thought it was amazing.”
The students then took part in workshops on values and choices, what to do in certain situations and peer pressure.
The Casey Traffic Management Unit (TMU) then talked about accident statistics in the area while VicRoads reinforced its learner driver 120 hours practise message and ran workshops on various scenarios and risk management.
A victim of road trauma also spoke about his life after being involved in an accident.
Mr McMillan said the session was great and reinforced the school’s drivers education program.