Students get ‘shock and awe’ approach to road safety

Over 270 Transition Year students attended an award winning presentation aimed at young people that promises a "shock and awe" approach to road safety.

The Rotary Club of Navan and Meath County Council have joined forces to host the 'Just 1 Life' event aimed at saving young road users. Designed to educate young people about road safety, Just1 Life targets 15–17 year-old students, aiming to reduce road-related injuries and fatalities.

In a ”no holds-barred” presentation students listened to sobering perspectives from emergency service first responders and people whose lived have been forever changed by road accidents.

The Just 1 Life programme emphasises the stark realities and often tragic results of inappropriate driving behaviours. Students are told that many of them will be involved in a serious accident at some stage in their lives, that they may kill or be killed or badly injured while in a vehicle on the roads. It provides much food for thought for these drivers of the future, and seeks to influence the choices they will make as young drivers, in the age group accepted as being most at risk of having a serious traffic collision.

According to the Just 1 Life programme, what these students have in common is: They are all about to become drivers, they are thinking of acquiring their first car, they are considering insurance for that car or the cost of insurance on a parent’s car, most of them will be involved in a serious car accident at some stage in their lives, some of them might be killed or will kill.

The Just 1 Life programme in Ireland started with the Rotary Club of Wexford, who were inspired by a similar initiative which began in a Rotary Club in Sydney, Australia in 2000 after the tragic loss of members’ children in road accidents.

Since then, the programme has expanded across Australia and New Zealand, reaching over 150,000 students by 2012. Evidence from Australia suggests that the programme has successfully reduced road fatalities and accidents, underscoring its effectiveness.

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Students from St Patrick’s Classical School Navan, St Michael’s Loreto Navan, Beaufort College Navan, Eureka Kells, Ashbourne Community School attended the Solstice event and its hoped the half-day programme will be rolled out to more schools across the county.

The launch event featured presentations from various road safety advocates, including An Garda Síochána, the Fire Brigade, the National Ambulance Service, J&S Motor Repairs Ltd., an A&E consultant from Navan Hospital, Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, and a bereaved parent. The goal was to make a lasting impact on the young audience, emphasising the life-changing consequences of poor driving decisions.

Officially launching the event, Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Cllr Sharon Tolan said: “This initiative is poised to make a meaningful impact as it is introduced to schools and young students throughout Co Meath.

“Through this program, we aim to equip our youth with essential driver behaviour skills and knowledge that will empower them to ultimately drive safely on our roads.”

Project Team Lead, Rotarian Geraldine Honan emphasised the importance of the Just 1 Life initiative for the community, expressing gratitude to Meath Co Council, volunteers, presenters and local schools.

She shared the team’s commitment to extending the program to all post-primary schools in County Meath, enhancing road safety awareness among local youth.