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Project Officer appointed to assist road safety awarenessThe Road Safety and Awareness Program (REAP) committee has appointed a Project Officer to promote the successful range of REAP road safety programs in schools, sporting clubs and community groups throughout Latrobe City By Latrobe Shire Council - 15th July 2004 - Back to News Latrobe’s Road Safety Officer, Elizabeth Tomlins, has been appointed the REAP Project Officer and will consult with local education providers and parent groups in order to expand their awareness of the benefits REAP provides for Latrobe’s young people.
Latrobe’s Manager Community Safety, Henk Harberts, said the programs were developed in response to an increasing number of fatalities and injuries on local roads involving young people. "Fifty percent of the road fatalities in Latrobe City last year involved people twenty two years of age and under, and this resulted in a strong feeling throughout the community that more prevention and road safety education programs were needed in the local area," Mr Harberts explained.
"REAP is the result of a partnership between RACV, Latrobe RoadSafe (Community Road Safety Council), Victoria Police, VicRoads and Latrobe City Council. The project has received significant funding from RACV’s Rural Road Safety Program and Wights Motor World has supplied the REAP car that can be seen driving around Latrobe City. International Power Hazelwood, Latrobe City Council, Loy Yang Power and Edison Mission have also provided further funding, sponsorship and support," Mr Harberts said.
Mr Harberts explained that Ms Tomlins will assist local secondary schools and sporting clubs with the introduction of road safety programs into school curriculum and recreational programs and will also encourage the invitation of guest speakers to discuss road safety issues with young people in Latrobe City.
"Ms Tomlins is available to help schools and community groups organise for Cara Johnson, an internationally renowned road safety advocate from Canada, to speak to young people when she visits Latrobe towards the end of July. Ms Johnson demonstrated her excellent public speaking skills when she last visited the municipality in 2003 and she will again return to the local area to explain road safety issues to young people in a style that they can relate to," Mr Harberts added.
Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Darrell White, said that Latrobe City Council is proud to support the Road Safety and Awareness Program committee and its endeavours to reduce the number of road fatalities involving young people in the local area.
"Young people must be aware of safe and responsible driving practices, both before and after they obtain their licence. The best way to provide this information is through the installation of educational programs in environments that attract a lot of young people, such as schools, sporting clubs and community groups," Cr White said.
"REAP has already assisted schools in the implementation of programs such as ‘RAW’, ‘Keys Please’ and ‘Looking after our mates’. These programs are easily included in a variety of school curriculum areas, such as Legal Studies, Physical Education and Health Studies, and they can also be presented as a sporting club activity. Our young people need to be exposed to these road safety programs if they are to understand and apply safe driving behaviours and therefore decrease the number of young people involved in local road accidents and fatalities," Cr White concluded.
For more information about implementing appropriate road safety programs in schools, sporting clubs and community based organisations contact Elizabeth Tomlins at Latrobe City Council, telephone 5128 5621 or email elizabethto@latrobe.vic.gov.au
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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