Premier’s Xstrata Coal Rural and Remote Education
Scholarship
Strategies for reducing road trauma in
young people in rural and remote areas
in NSW
Vivienne Nichols
Grafton High School
Sponsored by
PREMIER’S TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP REPORTS
Introduction
Families’ worlds are shattered when young people lose their lives or sustain head injuries and
paraplegia. Despite long running, well planned and resourced road safety units in our NSW
schools, the road toll in our state remains unacceptably high.
A 17 year old driver is 4 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than a driver over 25.
Despite being only15% of drivers they represent 36% of annual road fatalities. Young drivers are
overrepresented in all fatal crashes including those caused by drink driving and fatigue.70% of all
fatal drink driving crashes occur on country roads.
Drink driving is a factor in 27% of all fatal crashes on country roads. 30% of these drink drivers
are aged 17-24.The biggest killer of young drivers is speeding and 80% of those drivers are male.
These are the frightening statistics which motivated me to apply for an Xstrata Coal Rural and
Remote Scholarship. My research identified a number of programs in North America which take
an intersectoral approach to reducing road trauma by the establishment of partnerships between
many Government and community groups.
Significant Learning
I travelled to California, Arizona, New Mexico and Michigan in the USA and Ontario, Alberta
and British Columbia in Canada to investigate the following successful programs.
Program One
The P.A.R.T.Y. (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth) Program is a one-day, inhospital, injury awareness and prevention program for youth age 16 and older. Developed in
1986 at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto this program is a vital component of the growing
community effort to reduce death and injury in alcohol, drug and risk-related crashes and
incidents. I examined the Sunnybrook program under the guidance of Joanne Banfield; manager
for trauma and injury prevention. Joanne speaks passionately about the program:
I participated in the P.A.R.T.Y. Program in Toronto Ontario, Calgary Alberta and Fernie B.C.
The experience of the P.A.R.T.Y. is intense and very emotional. The program had an effect on
all of us involved, grabbing the attention of even the most disinterested students.
P.A.R.T.Y. focuses on making smart choices. In this program students see some people who
unfortunately made some pretty bad choices or who had someone make a bad choice for them
and are now having to live with the consequences. And these are the ones who survived,”
Joanne said.
The messages from the P.A.R.T.Y. program are clear and simple.
1.
2.
3.
There is only one person who can choose whether you get behind the wheel of a car
when you are impaired, or whether you will wear your helmet the next time you ride your
bike, or wear protective gear when playing sports: YOU! The consequences of your
choices will either maintain your independence or lead you to injury.
Independence. At this stage in your life do you need your parents to spoon feed you,
take you to the toilet, dress you, move you from your bed to your chair? How would you
feel if you lost your independence and your parents, brothers, sisters or friends had to do
these things for you?
Injuries. “We encourage the students to think deeply about their own experiences by
asking questions such as Have you ever been injured? Did it alter your independence?
Were you able to do the same things as you did before your injury?” Joanne explains.
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“We stress that with all the medical technology there is a lot we can fix and repair when
someone has been injured but there are two parts of your body that cannot be fixed spinal cord and brain and that's why the best thing is to prevent them from happening in
the first place.”
There is one particular word that is not used in P.A.R.T.Y. The word is Accident. An accident is
something we have no control over and the reason they don't use this word is that most injuries
and injury-related deaths that occur are predictable and preventable. “We need to call these
things what they are: CRASHES, COLLISIONS, INCIDENTS, MISHAPS,” she stressed.
Enthusiastic students participating in the P.A.R.T.Y. Program
According to Joanne the goal of P.A.R.T.Y. is to provide young people with information about
trauma (injury) that will enable them to recognize potential injury-producing situations, make
prevention-oriented choices, and adopt behaviours that minimize unnecessary risk. In locations
where the programs run schools are offered places in the P.A.R.T.Y. program for groups of 3540 students, accompanied by a teacher or adult leader.
Students follow the course of injury from occurrence, through transport, treatment,
rehabilitation and community re-integration. They interact with a team of health care
professionals that includes a paramedic, a police officer, nurses, a physician and social worker.
The Calgary program at Foothills Hospital revolves strongly around people who have been
injured, some still in acute care, others in rehabilitation, and some returned home. “They provide
a personal perspective on the challenge of dealing with injury and putting one's life back on
track," explained program manager Lynda Vowell.
The Alberta programs target Grade 9 students as the driving age is 15 in this province. The
younger students here participate in many activities such as role plays and are involved in
dexterity tests, experiments with “beer goggles” and other teaching aids.
The program concludes with a challenge to the participants to become individually and
collectively committed to promoting behaviours and activities that minimize the risk of injury.
The students I interviewed at the end of the day reported that the experience is "eye-opening and
positive" and "a must for all young people". Overall students told me they would think more and
plan more in future after participating in the program. They seemed to develop a greater
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PREMIER’S TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP REPORTS
understanding of the grief surrounding these types of injuries for families and also for those
whose work is attending these scenes.
A successful example of a small rural community working together for young people’s wellbeing
was the Elk Valley program which revolves around building relationships within families and the
community. Students are asked to sit with their parents that night and discuss the program. They
are issued with a contract which they can ask their parents to sign. This contract says that if the
young person is in danger of being a part of a drink driving incident they can call their parent at
any hour of the day or night for a lift, no questions asked. I thought that this was a very
productive outcome of the program. Parents are asked to take greater responsibility in the
planning which goes into a young person going out socially.
“The premise is that we know young people are going to go out and they are going to drink so
how do we make sure you are not at undue risk in these situations,” explained Brian Glover,
P.A.R.T.Y. co-ordinator at Fernie Secondary School. All programs are similar in their messages
but also make use of available local resources. The Elk Valley program in Fernie is well
supported by the Fire Department who also stage a mock crash.
“Relationships between students and police have developed to the point where the students
notify police officers of their upcoming social events in an attempt to keep them safe and
controlled. Fund raising is carried out regularly and it is not unusual for business’ to contact
P.A.R.T.Y. co-ordinators enquiring about donating,” said Brian. “it is an inspiring example of
community based welfare.”
Program Two
The mission of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is to stop drunk driving, support the
victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. Incorporated in 1980, MADD claim
to have prevented 330,000 deaths through their tireless work of education, research and law
reform. Current strategies in Colorado are oriented around reducing retail availability, social
availability and law enforcement.
MADD in Denver works for and with students to lobby law makers and support young people
in making sensible choices regarding alcohol. As with SADD they do not accept that underage
drinking and work hard to provide social opportunities which are alcohol free. I observed
Tiffany Hanson; Colorado’s State Youth Programs Specialist in her work which is primarily in
schools and colleges promoting positive ‘social norming’. She assists students in creating campus
based organisations which she supports in finding solutions to problems in their specific
communities. The students are trained in ways to engage community members and school
personnel into participating in implementing programs.
Colorado youth display an alarmingly high rate of death due to alcohol poisoning. This fact has
led MADD Colorado to currently include this as one of their focal points. Awareness programs
in the USA have been operating for years as in NSW, and whilst they are effective in imparting
knowledge there is no real evidence that they lead to change in teenage drinking behaviour.
Student based MADD groups aim to reduce negative influences in the environment which
contribute to hazardous drinking patterns and smash common attitudes such as excess drinking
being a “rite of passage” for young people. MADD is seeking to build partnerships with
students, parents, community, businesses and law enforcers in its efforts, they recognise that
there is no single strategy that can eliminate dangerous drinking behaviours.
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Tiffany works with the Department of Transport and the Police Department to run programs
for young people before they obtain their licence. “In these educational sessions parental
involvement is vital,” she said. “Role modelling by parents is encouraged as a major influence on
the young drivers’ attitudes behind the wheel. “We also conduct a Panel Program which seeks to
re educate young offenders and their parents in a way that supports and guides them.” I was
amazed at how many young people expressed the wish for their parents to enforce stricter
boundaries on their freedom and behaviour.
What started as a group of grieving mothers has become a powerful group in society and exerts a
strong influence on society and law making. MADD is a real example of people power. Tiffany is
proud of MADD Colorado’s award for best National Youth Program in 2008 for their work in
this area.
Program Three
The Every 15 Minutes program is a two-day program focusing on high school juniors and
seniors, which challenges them to think about drinking, driving, personal safety, the
responsibility of making mature decisions and the impact their decisions have on family, friends,
and many others.
This first of its kind prevention and education program was developed by the Chico Police
Department (California) in 1995 through a Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Grant
Assistance to Law Enforcement (G.A.L.E.) grant. In 1996, the Chico Police Department was
fittingly awarded the Excellence in Community Policing Award by the National League of Cities
for its efforts. I met with Trenton Cross of the California Highway Patrol and he outlined the
huge success that Every 15 minutes has become in California where hundreds of schools
participate in the program. Schools in Arizona have also embraced the program.
Sedona’s Red Rock High School in Arizona provided a perfect case study of a rural High School
for my study. Officer Rena Dearden previewed the program. “The two-day Every 15 Minutes
program is very dramatic and emotional and purposely so. Teenagers are constantly reminded
about the choices they have to make involving alcohol and how many others are affected by
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these decisions. This program tries to break the belief that many young people have- That it will
never happen to them. “This powerful program is designed to create an awareness among
students that they are not invincible. They experience firsthand how their actions can affect the
lives of so many other people. The situations are not real but the tears and emotions you will
witness are,” she explained.
Goals and Objectives of the Program
The program brings together a broad coalition of interested local agencies with the goal of
reducing alcohol-related incidents among youth. The partnering of the relevant State Highway
Patrol, local law enforcement, local hospitals, emergency medical responders, schools,
businesses, and service clubs validates the importance of working together to ensure a healthy
community.
Rena described the events are a result of 8-10 months of careful planning. Prior to the actual
event, approximately 25 students, representing a cross section of the school, are selected.
Waivers are reviewed and signed by students and their parents as 100% participation by both
students and their parents is required for success.
Day One
One student is removed from class every fifteen minutes and becomes one of the "living dead."
A uniformed officer and a counselor enter the classroom and read each student's obituary to
those remaining in the class. The obituary is posted in the classroom for the remainder of the
school year. Simultaneously, the parents of each living dead student are given their child's death
notification by a uniformed officer and/or chaplain.
Although the death notifications are simulated and everyone knows this, the notifications
typically result in overwhelming displays of emotion and concern. Throughout the day, members
of the living dead place their tombstones in a temporary cemetery on the school campus so
friends and classmates can mourn their loss.
A simulated drunk driving collision involving pre-selected high school students is staged on
school grounds for the benefit of the entire student body. It begins with a pre-recorded 911 call
that triggers an emergency response by law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics, and the
coroner. Each agency uses the drill as a training exercise to simulate real life responses.
Paramedics treat one student for minor injuries. A second critically injured student is trapped
inside a vehicle and must be rescued by firefighters using the "Jaws of Life." A third student is
declared dead and removed by the coroner. The fourth student, designated as the drunk driver, is
given a field sobriety test and is arrested for driving under the influence. Officers book the drunk
driver into jail. After booking is completed, the drunk driver must call a parent or guardian to
explain what he or she has done.
Emergency medical responders transport the critically injured patient to a local trauma center
where doctors simulate attempts to save his or her life. Unable to do so, the doctor on duty has
the grave task of notifying the student's parents of their child's untimely death. Organ
procurement team members discuss the option of organ donation with the parents of the
deceased child. Meanwhile, the student who died on-scene is taken to the morgue, weighed and
measured, and placed in a body bag until a family member can identify the body.
At the end of the day, law enforcement chaperones take the living dead to an overnight retreat.
Once the students become members of the living dead, there is no contact with family or
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friends. At the retreat, the students participate in team building activities and learn firsthand
from people who have been involved in or affected by an incident involving alcohol. The
evening ends as the students write letters to their loved ones, expressing the thoughts they would
convey if they had not been killed on that particular day.
Day Two
The living dead students return to school to attend a student body assembly. The living dead
students are seated in the front of the auditorium, opposite their parents. During the assembly,
everyone in the auditorium watches a video of the previous day's events. After the video, several
of the living dead students read excerpts from the letters they wrote the night before. They share
with their friends and classmates what if felt like to die without having the chance to say goodbye.
Other members from the community, like trauma doctors, law enforcement officers, and
emergency responders, explain how they are personally affected on a daily basis when someone
makes a poor choice involving alcohol.
The assembly concludes with a call to action challenging everyone in the auditorium to make
responsible choices when alcohol is involved. After 24 hours on an "emotional roller coaster,"
parents and living dead students are reunited. Parents and teens are typically overwhelmed with
emotion and gain a new sense of love and commitment to one another to make the right
choices.
After the assembly, everyone gathers at a reception hosted by and for the participants. “The
program helps the students see members of their community in a different light. We are no
longer just cops, doctors, paramedics, or firefighters, but also friends, mentors, and human
beings who care about the kids in their community,” Rena enthusiastically surmised.
Program Four
Originally, the mission of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) was to help young
people say "No" to drinking and driving. Today, the mission has expanded. SADD has become a
peer-to-peer education, prevention, and activism organization dedicated to preventing
destructive decisions, particularly underage drinking, other drug use, risky and impaired driving,
teen violence, and teen suicide.
Jessica Smith is the Arizona State Co-ordinator and a member of the National SADD Board of
Directors. As I expected the issues surrounding youth driving and alcohol misuse in rural
Arizona strongly parallel ours in NSW. Our challenges are similar but SADD takes a stricter
stance.
“SADD does not believe that it is possible to break the law responsibly and so does not support
or condone the use of alcohol by underage young people. The purchase and public possession of
alcohol by anyone under the age of 21 is illegal in all 50 states of the U.S.A.” explained Jessica.
“The facts are clear; alcohol alters an individual's vision, reaction times, perception of distance,
and judgment of one's abilities. For adolescents, whose brains are still developing in critical ways,
alcohol use makes them more vulnerable to learning and memory impairments.”
Arizona student leaders explained their efforts in providing positive peer pressure and role
modelling. They believe this goes a long way in preventing destructive decisions amongst their
peers and sets a safer course for their lives. They believe that young people can have fun, enjoy
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life and nurture positive personal relationships without the distraction and distortion of alcohol.
“SADD seeks to demonstrate positive and attractive alternatives to alcohol and other druginfused activities for teenagers,” they said. “The use of alcohol is frequently coupled with risky
and potentially destructive behaviours such as physical and emotional violence, rude or
thoughtless remarks or actions, sexual mistakes or misjudgements, sexual assaults, and suicide
acts and attempts.”
Jessica Smith believes that SADD makes a difference because SADD chapters are student driven
and students plan the best ways to reach the youth of their particular location through a range of
different activities. “These student leaders recognize that the pressures on young people to drink,
use illicit drugs and engage in other unhealthy behaviours are strong. The leaders ensure that they
don’t punish or alienate those students who make unfortunate choices but rather aim to inform,
educate, support and empower the young people in their environment to make more positive
decisions in their lives.”
Arizona SADD programs are an inspirational example of students leading education and
prevention initiatives in their schools and communities. There are now 1000’s of chapters across
the USA all conducting student driven action. It is incredible that students are prepared to put
this amount of energy and work into looking out for each other.
Conclusions
My study tour was an emotional and enlightening experience. It was amazing to meet so many
highly motivated and enthusiastic people who are devoting their lives to the safety and well-being
of young people in the communities where they live. The most effective education is clearly a
result of the work of schools with the assistance of trained professionals who have access to
generous funding through both government and corporate sponsorship.
Arizona High Schools are allocated a Police School Resource Officer. This is a full-time position
which enables schools to address a huge range of issues through the officers 180 hours of
classroom instruction per week as well as building relationships through more casual contact
between officers, students, staff and parents. Arizona believes that this resourcing of schools is
well worth the cost due to its preventative success.
This is a community issue, schools in working in isolation will only have a limited impact on this
issue but the establishment of support networks has enormous potential to create change.
Schools need to invite parents and the community into their programs as this promotes
meaningful family dialogue. The inclusion of interactive and hands on experiences where
possible appeals to the learning style of boys. The key to saving our youth is empowering them
to help each other.
References
Michael Henderson, Road deaths and injuries amongst children and young people in rural New South Wales.
2002, Motor Accident Authority, NSW.
NSW Centre for road safety-crash statistics, Road and Traffic Authority
NSW.www.rta.nsw.gov.au
Vivienne.NICHOLS@det.nsw.edu.au
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