Last year’s bstreetsmart event
Students from seven schools in the Gosford area are among over 20,000 teenagers learning about the importance of safe driving at the bstreetsmart event held in Sydney from August 19 to 21.
Students from the Central Coast Adventist School, Central Coast Grammar School, Green Point Christian College, Kincumber High School, Saint Edward’s College, Saint Joseph’s College and Terrigal High School will witness a highly confronting car crash re-enactment and hear stories from young car crash survivors in a bid to dramatically reduce the injury and death toll among young drivers.
Now in its ninth year, bstreetsmart has grown in popularity since it was started in 2006 by Westmead Hospital trauma coordinators, Ms Julie Seggie and Ms Stephanie Wilson.
In the past eight years, 86,366 students from 323 schools have attended the bstreetsmart program.
The award-winning event has been replicated in both Western Australia and South Australia.
“The car crash dramatisation really hits home for many of the students,” said Ms Seggie. “Listening to the real life stories presented by car crash survivors with a brain or spinal injury makes it very clear that they are not invincible, it could happen to them.
“The stories also highlight the impact crashes have not just on them but their friends and family as well.
“It certainly has a ripple effect that radiates far beyond just them as an individual.
“Many car crash survivors lose the ability to work, they lose contact with their friends and it can place an enormous amount of strain on the family.
“It’s this kind of thing that we want them to think about.
“It’s not black and white. “It’s not simply a matter of life or death, there are many shades of grey in between,” said Ms Seggie.
The aim of bstreetsmart is for students to leave with a changed attitude towards driving and be more likely to retain road safety messages for an extended duration.
After the morning session, students spend time visiting a number of interactive displays before returning to the Arena for further educational demonstrations relating to road safety.
Open to students in Years 10-12, bstreetsmart is organised by Sydney’s Westmead Hospital Trauma Unit.
Media release,
12 Aug 2014
Jo Wallace, Rubystar PR