While fatal airline crashes often grab the headlines, a road safety charity is pointing out that more people die on our roads each year.
Road Safety Education Limited (RSE) says 305 people died in 19 airline crashes during 2016, while 328 people were killed on New Zealand roads.
“Yet we don’t see our government calling for much more effective youth road safety education,” RSE NZ programme manager Maria Lovelock says.
“Nor are we seeing any policy changes that could give effect to this.”
It is urging the government to get behind the organisation’s RYDA road safety programme for youth.
“Getting behind the wheel of a car is probably the most dangerous thing a young person will ever do in their lives,” Lovelock says.
“Effective education should be a mandatory part of any person’s education. Effective education is the key and can lead to reduced burden on our health system and imperative in reducing tragedy for Kiwi families.”
RSE has strong support from corporate partners BOC, NZ Steel, Bosch and Bridgestone, along with Rotary Clubs, whose volunteers co-ordinate the programme in their local area.
Despite that, the programme only reaches 10% of Kiwi high schools, compared with 25% of Australian high schools.
