According to 2017 Australian Roads data, young people are nearly twice as likely to die in a car crash than their parents.
In an effort to combat this alarming statistic, Driver Safety Australia has teamed up with Supercheap Auto in a bid to reduce the number of young driver fatalities caused as a result of roadside breakdowns.
Launching the campaign ‘Check It’ at Supercheap Auto in Penrith this week, CEO of Driver Safety Australia, Russell White said that ensuring young drivers understand how to properly maintain their car could be instrumental in reducing the number of roadside fatalities.
“Sadly, many young drivers are not aware of the risks of breaking down on the side of the road,” he said.
“Our research shows 86 per cent of young drivers under 25 years outsource basic safety checks to someone else, such as a friend or relative, and up to a third of drivers in this age bracket take major safety risks.
“We want to empower young drivers with the skills to be able to perform these simple routine safety checks on their own cars to reduce the number of young driver fatalities caused as a result of roadside breakdowns.”
With traffic injury being the second-biggest killer of Australians aged between 15-24 years, alarming research commissioned by Driver Safety Australia found that over a third of drivers under 25 years surveyed didn’t know enough about their car to do basic safety checks.
As part of the campaign, Supercheap Auto and Driver Safety Australia have created a series of instructional videos showing drivers how to monitor oil and water levels, pack items securely, check tyre tread and pressure, and ensure brake lights, headlights and windscreen wipers are working correctly.
Supercheap Auto Retail Operations Manager, Kathleen Long, said that the videos’ focus was on making sure regular safety was at the top of young drivers’ minds.
“The videos are focused on supporting young drivers to check their vehicle is safe before getting on the road,” she said.
As part of the campaign, Penrith Supercheap Auto are also hosting a ‘Check It’ Day on March 17 for drivers to learn first-hand how to perform routine safety checks on their vehicle. The store is located at Penrith Homemaker Centre.
Lauren Suttie
Lauren Suttie is the Weekender's General & Community News journalist.