Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner joined Road Safety Minister Reece Whitby in Albany this week to launch a pilot road safety education program targeting Year 7 and 8 students across regional Western Australia.
For the first time, Road Smart Kickstart, an interactive program using gamified learning stations, will be rolled out in regional schools to help shape road behaviours early.
The Road Safety Commission's dedicated education team is gearing up for thousands of kilometres on the road as they bring this vital education directly to regional communities, recognising that 60 per cent of road fatalities occur on regional roads.
More than 55 sessions are already scheduled across schools in the Great Southern, South West, and Wheatbelt regions reaching an impressive 1,414 young people.
Developed with input from highly experienced education content provider Kimberlin Education, the program comes in 55-minute and 110-minute sessions focused on road safety awareness and decision-making skills.
Mr Warner said road safety doesn’t just start when learners get behind the wheel.
“By the time they begin thinking about getting a driver’s licence, many young people have already, often unknowingly, been shaped by the behaviours and attitudes they've observed in others—particularly around speeding, distractions, seatbelt use, and peer pressure,” he said.
“By coming to them at their level, they explore their own thoughts and experiences —as pedestrians, cyclists, eRideable users, and passengers—and discover how these perspectives might influence them now, and as a future driver.
“And most importantly, it’s lot of fun, with lots of opportunities for learning about road safety and is aligned to the WA curriculum.”
The school visits will also include opportunities for schools to apply for road safety grants, with the object being to encourage creative local initiatives to make local communities safer.
These grants will vary from $500 'Power Up' grants for small school community centred projects to $5,000 'Change Master' grants available to schools for more comprehensive programs.
The new programs will complement the successful Road Safety Commission funded Keys4Life education program that allows students over 15 to learn about safer driving and sit their Learner's Permit Theory Test.
"It is so important to invest in our young people because safe driving attitudes can save lives,” Mr Warner said.
"Through gamified learning, students are able to explore their own thoughts and experiences - as pedestrians, cyclists, eRideable users, and passengers - and discover how these perspectives might influence them now, and as a future driver.”
More than 1414 students are already booked to complete the program in 2025, with strong forecasts on future bookings.
To find out more about Road Smart Kickstart including how to book a session for your school, visit the Everyday Safer website.
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