RYDA Rotary Youth Driving Awareness
The RYDA programme was first introduced to the Bay of Plenty in 2019, by Tauranga Te Papa, Tauranga and Papamoa Rotary Clubs. In conjunction with Road Safety Education New Zealand, who provide the trained facilitators, Rotarians accompany and guide each of the groups through their day. It continues annually, with Year 12 High School students from most of the Bay Schools attending each year.
Each day’s programme contains six separate interactive seminars designed to raise awareness of road safety among the students as they begin their ‘driving lives’.
Each 30-minute Seminar deals with issues such as:
- The ‘I’ in Drive- Focusing on knowing yourself, Self-control, thinking social, Risk awareness and Speaking up. Helping students creating usable strategies for each category.
- Mind Matters- Focusing on the driver’s mind state when driving and how it positively / negatively can affect their driving.
- Road Choices- Discussing licences and options, making the right choices when behind the wheel, consequences of bad choices, lack of sleep, alcohol, drugs.
- Speed and Safety- Car Safety Features, Stopping Distances and Following Distances
- Drive SOS-Keeping others safe on the road (peripheral vision, blind spots, and distractions)
- Crash Investigations- (identifying the factors that impact on crash outcomes)
In total we aim to reach approximately 1000 students each year, hopefully resulting in greater awareness as they begin to drive, and fewer accidents in their lives.
Feedback from students, their accompanying teachers and in some cases parents, proves how important, relevant, useful and informative the programme is.
