About 350 Wairarapa secondary school pupils took their road choices for a spin at the second annual youth driver awareness programme in Masterton.
Bruce Pauling, Wairarapa Road Safety Council road safety manager, said the two-day programme was held this week for a second time at Solway Showgrounds after the inaugural event last year.
Several agencies were involved with the programme including Rotarians from throughout the region as part of the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) programme, Road Safety Education New Zealand, the Wairarapa Road Safety Council, Te Hauora Runanga O Wairarapa, and ACC.
RYDA was founded by Rotary Australia in 2001 and rolled out in New Zealand in 2007, Mr Pauling said.
He said there were six stages in the RYDA scheme including Stopping Distances, about emergency braking, a discussion led by a crash survivor; Road Choices, about drivers' legal obligations; Hazards and Distractions, such as texting or peer pressure; Plan B on alternatives for safe travel when faced with fatigue or alcohol consumption as a driver, and My Wheels, which covers options on vehicles, including ABS brakes, in-car stereos, stability control and aftermarket vehicle modifications.
