RYDA program to teach Bathurst students safer driving strategies

The RYDA program has been running at Mount Panorama for more than 10 years and sees students engaged in a series of workshops designed to educate them on smarter driving strategies.

Bathurst East Rotary Club member and program coordinator Graeme Bright said the program teaches students about responsible decision-making while behind the wheel.

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"Most Year 11 students are at the age where they're progressing towards driving unaccompanied, which is why it's essential to teach them about safe driving strategies," Mr Bright said.

"We talk to the students about the choices they can make while driving and how they can minimise accidents on the road."

The RYDA program features six interactive workshops that instruct students on the relationship between speed and stopping distance, the importance of scanning for hazards and how personality can play a part in increasing the risk of an accident.

The students also get to speak to a crash survivor about their experience, as well as hear from a police officer about key risks associated with young drivers.

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Mr Bright said the workshops can be quite confronting for many students.

"We're not mincing words at all about the consequences of poor decision-making on the road," he said.

"Across Australia, there's 100 road accidents a day where people are killed or injured, and we really hope that the students of today make wise decisions to avoid being involved in something like that."

The Calare Academy of Road Safety is a key facilitator for the RYDA program, and director Matthew Irvine said there are numerous factors that contribute to safety on the road.

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"Safety isn't just about the car, it's also about the behaviour of the driver and the road environment that they're in," Mr Irvine said.

"Each student who participates in the program gets a voucher for a free driving lesson from us and we want to encourage them to make the right decisions on the road."