Make road safety front of mind this Schoolies
With Schoolies just around the corner, RACQ is urging parents to help their children plan ahead to ensure they get to and from their destination safely.
In 2022, 297 people were killed on Queensland roads and almost a quarter of the fatalities were young drivers aged between 16 and 24-years-old.
RACQ’s Coaching and Development Officer Tiffany Boyd said it was vital parents have a conversation with their teenagers about road safety, particularly if they were driving themselves or friends to their Schoolies destination.
“Thousands of Year 12 students are counting down the days to Schoolies and we want them to remember this exciting time for all the right reasons,” Ms Boyd said.
“The best option for parents would be to drive your teenagers to Schoolies yourself, so they can leave the car at home.
“If that’s not possible, we want parents to have a conversation with their children about road safety. It’s important for young people to understand that their decisions behind the wheel can have life-changing consequences.”
Ms Boyd said young drivers are 60% more likely to be involved in a serious or fatal car crash.
“These crashes were often the result of choices that people made and it’s heartbreaking to know they could have been avoided,” she said.
“We want people to make a choice to put on their seatbelt, not to drive after having a drink, put the phone on Do Not Disturb while driving, and prioritise getting themselves and their friends home safely.”
Parents are also being encouraged to equip teens with the ‘one phone call – no questions’ strategy.
“Make sure they know they have someone to call if they get themselves in a tough situation, someone who won’t ask questions or get angry,” Ms Boyd said.
“It's important for young people to understand that the priority for them is to get home safely, rather than fearing potential consequences such as mad or disappointed parents.”
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