Young Drivers Expo
Close to 1,200 year 11 students from across the New England North West region will be heading to the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre this month to take part in a vital education program to learn the risks before hitting the road.
The Young Drivers Expo – an annual event pre-COVID - will be back up and running with gusto this month and hosting numerous workshops around road safety, emergencies and driving precautions. The event is coordinated by Tamworth Regional Council in collaboration with the NSW Police Force, NSW Ambulance, Hunter New England Health, NRMA Insurance, NSW Fire and Rescue, Joblink Plus and Tamworth Truck Drivers Club. Honing in on issues such as speed, fatigue, drugs, and mobile phone use, the expo is dedicated to increasing safe driver awareness.
A recent UNSW study revealed that a first time P-plater is 33 times more likely to be involved in an accident than a learner driver. Young drivers being those under the age of 25 make up 15% of the driving population, and yet represent 21% of drivers involved in motor vehicle crashes.
Tamworth Mayor Russell Webb said “It’s important for young drivers to be exposed to the realities of being on the road in a safe and controlled way. Council’s involvement in this expo is a key piece of the puzzle to facilitate this, and support the important work of other agencies who specialise in this space”.
Students will get the chance to observe an action-filled driving scenario play out in front of them. From the scenes of an on-road accident, the arrival and intervention of emergency services through to an outcome of a mock trial; the demonstration delivers a strong message to young drivers about their responsibilities on the road.
“The expo originated in 1997 and since then has grown to address young drivers all across northern New South Wales,” said Mell Jenkins, Events Officer at Tamworth Regional Council.
“In 2022 we will see students from 17 schools in attendance from Tamworth, Moree, Scone and Tenterfield” Ms Jenkins said.
The program provides timely information, increases risk perception and guides students in their reflection of what it takes to be a safe driver before getting behind the wheel.
For further details around the expo and its inception, please visit: Young Drivers Expo | Tamworth Regional Council (nsw.gov.au)