Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) program provides safe driving tips to Leeton shire students in 2023

This year's Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) sessions at the Yanco Agricultural Institute aimed to drill down on that messaging by showing young students just how important that is.

The sessions, organised by Leeton Shire Council, were held across several days at the Yanco Agricultural Institute and were attended by hundreds of students from across the region.

Supported by Rotary, several road safety officers from other areas also attended to view what was happening to hopefully implement the program in their towns.

RYDA aims to provide practical ways to teach and have young drivers or those about to get their licence, how important it is to be safe behind the wheel each and every time they are in charge of a vehicle.

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They learn about safe stopping distances with a highly-visual demonstration of what happens when they are speeding, hear from a driving instructor and also listen to crash survivors.

They also hear how their mind and personality can impact on their driving choices.

Leeton High School student Heidi Whyatt said she had found her time with RYDA to be valuable.

"It's really important we're all safe when we're driving," she said.

"I think we've all been learning a lot about what is involved when we get our licence and how to behave on the road."

Leeton shire road safety officer Steph Puntoriero said more than 450 students took part in the sessions this year at Yanco.

"We even receive feedback from the teachers who come along with the students who say they have learned something or been reminded just how important road safety is, even if they have been driving for many years," she said.

"The Rotarians who we have here helping us and cooking the barbecue also tell us how much they learn.

"We hope the students go away well-equipped with safe driving knowledge for when they are successful in gaining their licence."

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