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A record 10,500 students from 85 schools across the state will descend upon the Adelaide Entertainment Centre for RAA’s annual Street Smart High road safety event.
Tragically, over the last 10 years to 2022, 131 young people aged 16-24 driving a motor vehicle or riding a motorcycle have lost their lives on our roads.
Over this period, a further 976 young people sustained serious injuries – accounting for 21% of lives lost and serious injuries.
In 2023 so far, eight young people have lost their lives on our roads, with a further 106 sustaining serious injuries.
RAA’s General Manager Community and Corporate Affairs Emily Perry said RAA’s annual Street Smart High event was a critical opportunity to educate young people.
“Unfortunately, young people are overrepresented in our crash statistics each year,” Ms Perry said.
“Even a single life lost on the roads is one too many and tragic – but it’s even more devastating when it’s someone so young.
“Street Smart High shows young people and soon to be drivers the harsh and confronting reality of what’s at stake when they get behind the wheel of a car.
“Students will witness a realistic simulated crash scene, including pre-and-post crash analysis, which leaves an indelible and lasting impact.
“We know around a quarter of the fatality crashes involving young people over the last 10 years involved drugs, at least 23% were not wearing a seat belt and 11% of young motorcyclists who lost their lives weren’t even wearing a helmet.
“We hope the harsh reality of Street Smart High helps change the behaviour of young drivers and encourages them to look after themselves and their friends and family when they get behind the wheel.”
As well as the crash scene, Street Smart High also features real-life stories from people whose lives have been affected by road trauma including crash survivors living with ongoing significant impacts, family members and first responders.
Presented by RAA with support of Think!Road Safety, Street Smart High has been experienced by 85,000 students since its inception in 2009.
Minister for Road Safety Joe Szakacs said StreetSmart High illustrates the confronting realities of making poor decisions on our roads and cuts through to students who are new to driving.
“RAA’s Street Smart High event is unapologetically abrasive when it illustrates the real-world implications of road trauma,” he said.
“Over the course of two days students will be confronted with road crash simulations, first-hand accounts of road trauma and key messages that will ensure they walk away with a new perspective on road safety.
“Young drivers often feel they’re invincible when they get on the road, but this event provides purposely shocking and challenging scenarios to remind students that every choice made in a car or on a motorcycle has an impact.”
To find out more about the event, visit RAA Street Smart High.
A breakdown of the numbers behind how young people (aged 16 to 24) lost their lives on our roads between 2013 and 2022:
So far in 2023 on our roads there have been: