YOUNG people from across the MIA will become safer on the roads by participating in the ground-breaking Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) program. 

RYDA will again be hosted at Murrumbidgee Rural Studies Centre at Yanco, organised and supported by the Rotary clubs of Leeton and Leeton Central.

The program is a series of practical and powerful workshops that aim to change the way young people think about road safety.

It is delivered annually throughout Australia and New Zealand to over 50,000 high school students through about 600 schools.

Over 3000 students have attended the RYDA events held every year in Leeton shire since 2008.

This year more than 500 students are registered to attend from across the Riverina, including Leeton, Narrandera, Hay, Ardlethan, Ariah Park, Griffith, Lockhart and Oaklands.

"The RYDA program targets young people as they enter a stage in their lives where they start to drive or ride in cars driven by their peers,” Leeton road safety officer Steph Puntoriero said.

“Ensuring young people understand the importance of road safety as soon as they begin driving is critical to reducing youth road accidents.”

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RYDA takes each student one school day to complete and is recognised within the school curriculum.

The program attempts to influence attitudes and behaviours of both drivers and passengers before they get their licence.

"We are very excited to be offering the program to local students," Mrs Puntoriero said

“There has been increased interest from other areas of the Riverina with students travelling several hours to attend the well-organised event. The support we have received from the schools and the local communities has been phenomenal.”

RYDA has been designed to target students in year 11 and 12 in consultation with road safety experts, professional bodies, government and the educational sector, and is based on findings from the latest research.

The program is delivered by road safety professionals.

As well as being organised by Rotary clubs, there is significant assistance from Leeton Shire Council and NSW Police, including NSW Highway Patrol.