RYDA safety education program turns 21

RYDA is the flagship program of Road Safety Education Limited (RSE) and has positively impacted the lives of around 725,000 Australians and New Zealanders since its inception.

As well as celebrating the traditional rite-of-passage milestone in Australia, RYDA also celebrates its 16th anniversary in New Zealand.

CEO & Managing Director of Road Safety Education Limited, Terry Birss, says the contribution of the RYDA program to society has been undeniable.

"We're proud of the significant difference the RYDA program has made to the safety of young drivers on our roads over the past 21 years through the empowerment of young drivers and passengers," Mr Birss said.

"Our original cohort of RYDA participants are now in their mid-to-late 30s and I have no doubt that our focus on education through behavioural change and a focus on young driver and passengers attitudes has played a role in reducing road trauma. I'm delighted with the growth of the RYDA program and the reputation that it continues to build over its 21 years."

Figures from the International Transport Forum's Road Safety Report 2021 for Australia show a reduction of fatalities on Australian roads of nearly 40 per cent when comparing 2020 figures to 2000, despite 60 per cent more registered vehicles on the road.

However, the figures also indicate some concerning trends as well, with the number of cyclists killed on our roads increasing over the same time – highlighting the continued need for education into driving so others survive.

"While there is so much to celebrate in this milestone, it's also evident that there is still a long way to go to create safer roads for all road users. Programs like RYDA challenge the mindset and behaviours of motorists and give them the tools they need to face the challenges on the road. This is key to achieving the long-term goals in a sustainable manner that will not only impact today's road users, but future ones as well," Mr Birss added.

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As part of the RYDA program, students participate in a workshop which features a series of sessions led by expert facilitators who address laws, distractions, risk management, social resilience, speed and stopping, mind state, impairment, vehicle safety and other critical road safety topics.

The program targets school participation with the dedicated RYDA workshop day complemented by a series of resources that are designed to be integrated within the regular curriculum both before and after the workshop.

From humble beginnings as a Rotary project held in one location in Sydney, RYDA now typically sees 45,000 students take part each year across more than 350 workshop days run throughout Australia and New Zealand, involving more than 650 schools. RYDA workshops are supported throughout Australia by a dedicated team of volunteers from primarily RSE's community partner, Rotary, and by corporate partners BOC, Toyota, Bridgestone and Boral.

Bridgestone Australia & New Zealand Managing Director, Heath Barclay, congratulated RYDA on the milestone.

"As a proud partner of the RYDA program, we're thrilled to join Road Safety Education Limited in celebrating this iconic milestone. Since first partnering with RYDA in 2016, we understood the incredible difference this program makes to the lives of young motorists and passengers and our commitment has been unwavering because of the dedication RYDA has to achieving its objectives, and contributing to the goal of preventing road trauma," Mr Barclay said.