NSW Roads Minister Melinda Pavey says one of the biggest challenges remains on country roads, which accounted for almost 70 per cent of the State’s road toll last year.

The Rotary Club of Dubbo South are continuing their partnership with industry leader, Road Safety Education Limited (RSE) to bring the award winning youth road safety program RYDA to more than 600 students from 11 local high schools during March.

Held at the Dubbo Expo Centre, the RYDA program has been embedded in the Dubbo community for 15 years, and this year will celebrate their 5000th student to attend the program during this time.

“RYDA is a series of practical and powerful workshops for high school students that challenge students to change the way they think about road safety and lay the foundation for safe road use throughout their lives”, said RSE program director Greg Rappo.

“RYDA focuses on building and increasing social competency and resilience and motivating low-risk behaviour.

“Trained facilitators work with students to develop and practice personalised strategies which will help them respond positively to challenges on the road, both as drivers and highly influential passengers.

“This education doesn’t come from driving lessons, or the school classroom”.

Dubbo’s RYDA co-ordinator Mark Powderly says the community-minded nature of the training is what makes it effective.

“One of the great things about RYDA is that with the support of Rotary Clubs, it can be run in all communities, by local road safety and education professionals, including the local police,” he said.

“Young people continue to be over represented in road crash statistics. In fact, one young person dies on Australian roads almost every day.

“And for every life lost, another 20 are forever changed due to serious injuries.”