Richmond player returns home to promote 120

16 Mar 2004

Media Release - 16 March 2004

Richmond footballer and former Bendigo Pioneers player Nathan Brown and team mate David Rodan today took time out from their pre-season training to promote practice of a different kind.

Joining forces with the Pioneers, the two players visited Bendigo Secondary College to encourage learner drivers to increase their driving practice to 120 hours before they sit for their licence.

International research has shown that if learner drivers gain a minimum of 120 hours supervised driving practice in a range of conditions before they get their driver's licence, they reduce their crash risk by a third.

Nathan Brown described the TAC Cup as a valuable competition because it not only provided players with the opportunity to hone their skills on the field, but also to be role models off it.

"These days, footballers use their position to do a lot of good in the community and encouraging learner drivers to get the practice they need is really important," he said.

"Anyone who watches the news or reads a newspaper knows that more young people die because of car crashes every year, than from any other cause."

"If a visit like this makes a difference to just a couple of kids and they make more of an effort to get out on the road as much as possible, then it's completely worth it."

Young drivers are more likely to crash than other drivers because they have not built up the skills to deal with the often complex situations they face on the roads.

To help combat driver inexperience, the TAC last year launched an interactive program designed to encourage learner drivers to log their driving hours.

Learner drivers can register at www.learnerslog.com.au and receive advice and incentives that encourage them to keep on track throughout the learner driver period.

The visit to Bendigo Secondary College coincides with the launch of the new TAC Cup logo which will profile the 120 hour message in twelve participating clubs throughout the competition.

In the last five years, 5 young people aged 16 to 25 years have died in the Bendigo area alone as a result of a serious car accident and 120 have received serious injuries.

Victoria's road toll currently stands at 73 compared with 79 at the same time last year, (a decrease of 8%.)

Further information

Georgina Lyell (TAC) on 0013 654 329.