Hawke's Bay Youth Road Safety Expo an awakening for students

High school students hear real-life stories about bad decision-making on the roads at the road safety expo. Photo / Supplied

High school students have been given a rude awakening about the consequences of their actions on the roads.

More than 2500 high school students from Hawke's Bay attended the Hawke's Bay Youth Road Safety Expo, which is a partnership between RoadSafe Hawke's Bay, police, Fire and Emergency NZ, St John Ambulance and others to promote road safety.

The event, which ran from May 10 to 14, aimed to educate young people about the consequences of their actions on the roads said Hawke's Bay Sergeant Simon Pain.

"The expo starts with a hard-hitting road safety presentation, which includes heart-breaking real life accounts of the aftermath of poor decisions on the roads, including a woman who's grandmother was killed by someone texting while driving, and a mother whose teenage son was critically injured in a double fatality," Pain said.

"The van of teenagers was being driven from a party by a 15-year-old unlicensed driver who had been drinking."

Pain said it was incredibly powerful for the students to be able to hear real-life accounts.

"It is very brave of these families to come along and share their personal stories of loss and heartache. When the students hear these stories directly from the family affected it has a big impact on them."

The expo was both educational and interactional for students walking through it.

Information given to the students included- getting a driver's licence, first aid education, and they got a chance to see inside Eastern District's brand-new Mobile Road Safety Base, which is used for deterring people from driving while impaired by drink and drugs.

Napier Girls High School Year 11 student Mia said she was moved by what she saw and heard at the expo.

"I will take away what I have heard today and will make better decisions from what I have learnt. I will remember these messages for the rest of my life."

Taradale High School Year 11 student Tyler Howard said the expo showed a lot about the results of drink driving, dangers on the road and how the results could be long-lasting.

Students were also given the chance to be breathalysed and attempt to walk in a straight line and get into a car while wearing special goggles that simulate impaired vision.

Pain said the expo was aimed at increasing knowledge and building skills around road safety, with an overall goal of reducing road deaths and serious injury involving young drivers.

Roadsafe Hawke's Bay is part of Hawke's Bay Regional Council and plans and implements road safety programmes in partnership with associated groups.

The Roadsafe team is based in Hawke's Bay. They provide education opportunities focusing on the region's high road-safety priorities. These include alcohol- and drug-impaired drivers, speed, unrestrained vehicle occupants, intersections, fatigue, distracted drivers, motorcyclists, pedestrians and cyclists.

Roadsafe Hawke's Bay's core role is to reduce the incidence and severity of road crashes by planning and implementing road safety education programmes.