By Callum Ludwig
A sombre session at the start of December ahead of the Christmas holidays marked the return of a program aiming to save young lives in the Yarra Ranges.
Back by community request after Covid interruptions, local emergency services are urging young drivers and their families to attend the Yarra Valley TRIP (Teenage Road Information Program).
Former Hillcrest CFA Captain and the Chairperson of Yarra Valley TRIP Fiona Burns said the program started back in 2011.
“It was driven by the fact that we had had several serious fatalities and serious injuries on the roads which involved our young people and most of those crashes were actually avoidable,” she said.
“There were things such as speed, not wearing a seatbelt, distracted driving and alcohol use that contributed to those crashes occurring and essentially we wanted to put together a program that made young people aware of the consequences of their actions.”
The event has historically been held every two years, with representatives from local CFA, SES, Ambulance Victoria and Victoria Police involved.
Ms Burns said the session is also about empowering young people to ‘Stand Up’, the theme of this year’s event.
“What we’ve seen is the conversation that young people have had with each other or with their parents that’s resulted in them being more mindful about their driving behaviour and their willingness to hold their friends to account for their driving behaviour,” she said.
“We talk extensively about what we call the ripple effect; you might have the crash and be involved, but then there are the first responders who attend your crash, then there’s your immediate family, your friends from school, friends you play cricket, football or netball with, the hospital staff, the doctors, the rehab, the legal system in some cases. One crash impacts 200 or 300 people,”
“I can’t sit here and say we’ve not had a fatality since it, because we have, but I certainly think we’ve seen a reduction, particularly in our young people, being involved in serious fatalities.”
Attendees are warned that the session will be hard-hitting, at times graphic and heartbreaking as well as guest speakers including a person who went to prison for a serious crash and local first responders who’ve been at the scenes of fatal crashes.
Ms Burns said even if they only make an impact on one person’s driving behaviour and that changes the outcome of a crash, it’s a success.
“If we can get the message across to young people about the consequences but also empower them with tools to help them talk to their friends, that’s where the success of the program comes from,” she said.
“It becomes generational because then they talk to it to their younger sister or brother, then they talk to their kids when they become parents about their driving behaviour and it creates a multi-generation change because we accept it’s not going to happen overnight.”
The session will be held at Heritage Funeral Homes in Woori Yallock on Wednesday 6 December. Attendees are asked to arrive at 6.30pm for a 7pm start, finishing at 8.30pm with supper served after.
The event is supported by the Wandin/Seville and Woori Yallock and District branches of the Bendigo Bank.
