SCARE TACTICS: Kinross Wolaroi School student Luke Weeks gets a front-row seat in the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness program. 1024nkdriving
DESPITE the introduction of anti-hoon laws and a barrage of advertising, Orange’s young people still get into cars with people who drive erratically.
Year 11 students from across the central west took part in the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness workshops over the last three days. The event was designed to encourage young people to respect road rules.
Yet students told chilling tales of getting into cars with people known to be erratic drivers, being too scared to say anything and getting into cars with people whose driving habits they were unfamiliar with.
The students’ general consensus was that it was still far more common for young men to drive in an unsafe manner. An urge to impress their friends and to test the limits of their cars were the main contributors according to the students.
Kinross Wolaroi School student Kellie O’Connor said she would be too scared to ask a driver to slow down or let her out of the car.
“I don’t think I’d be confident enough to say anything,” she said.
Kinross student Charles McIntosh told of an experience in a car with an erratic driver where passengers appeared to be enjoying the ride.
“Everyone was sort of liking it,” he said. “But you could see how quickly something could go wrong,”
Student Isobella Grist believes there is nothing cool about speeding. She said she had been in a dangerous situation before and asked to be dropped off. Despite her protests she didn’t believe the driver’s attitude would have changed.
“He could tell I was nervous,” she said.
“Every girl is different but I don’t like fast drivers.”
Kinross student Simon Douch holds a provisional licence. He said he could see how having a few mates in the car could change someone’s attitude when driving. He said there was a great temptation to show off in front of your mates.
“It depends on what they said but I’d tell them to shut up,” Simon said.
