One month to go for secondary students to drive road safety messages

06 Jul 2010

MEDIA RELEASE: 6 July 2010

Victorian students have about 4 weeks left to be in the running for free driving lessons through a road safety writing competition.

The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) has invited schools to submit up to three pieces of student writing for its annual competition.

Teacher and competition judge Peter Farrar said students had the opportunity to create a good piece of road safety writing using TAC resources as a springboard.

"The competition is a fantastic way for young people to consider their own driving behaviour and to use the TAC resources to help them look at their relationships with their peers in a new light," Mr Farrar said.

"It is particularly useful for students who are starting to get out on the road more. They have older siblings and friends, who drive them around, so road safety is becoming a real issue in their lives."

Mr Farrar encouraged teachers to get their students involved.

"Students always have the capacity to surprise teachers with their insights and teachers learn a lot about teenage lifestyle and the pressures they face."

"The greatest factor in risk taking behaviour seems to come from peer relationships rather than media like TV, magazines and the internet," Mr Farrar said.

Previous writing competition winner Rosie Cooper from Star of the Sea College says students should talk with their teachers and peers when preparing their entry.

"Watch the MAFMAD films at www.mafmad.com.au and talk about them with your friends. Especially ask guys what they think of films such as Social Death that are targeted at them," Rosie said.

The writing pieces can be based on the TAC’s Make a Film. Make a Difference (MAFMAD) short films, the documentary Muck-Up Day or an article about teenage drivers, found at www.tacsafety.com.au under Schools, Writing Competition.

There are separate prize categories for metropolitan and regional schools and for Year 9/10 students and VCE/VCAL students.

Prizes include a $200 voucher for driving lessons and a $50 book voucher. The competition closes on August 2.

This competition enriches the core traffic safety education resource for schools, Traffic Safety Essentials, which is available free of charge to all schools.

For further information please contact: Amanda Bavin, 5225 6591, 0439 567 249.