"I really enjoyed Driver Education week. The Car Club helped me learn valuable driving skills in a controlled environment. I was able to make mistakes and learn how to drive both a manual and automatic car properly. I also learnt the consequences of being distracted whilst driving from Vicki Richardson who had suffered a great personal loss because of it. The pretend court case was also informative about the legal process after an accident and the medical process. I found this week enjoyable and informative and the experience has improved my knowledge and skills at being a driver."
"We participated in many different activities that helped us to understand the different parts of a car, how to control and drive a car safely. We also learnt how to help someone if they are in need of first aid assistance and we were also talked to about mental health and the story of Vicki's daughter that was in an accident because she was texting behind the wheel. We visited the police station, hospital and the morgue and all of these buildings we explained how they help and deal with people that may have been in an accident. Brian explained to us how to approach the roundabout and when to use a blinker appropriately. The mock accident was a big help to explain what goes on with all the different roles of the police, ambulance, fire and SES."
"I found the Driver's Ed experience to be very informative and interesting, the course was one week long and during the week we visited many places around Deniliquin including: the police station, hospital, courthouse, Deniliquin Car Club and many more. The first day consisted of a mock accident demonstrated by the police force, paramedics, the rescue squad and the fire station. This mock accident became the scenario for what the whole week was about. My highlight was the fake court room scenario at the courthouse, as it was very interesting to see what actually goes on in the court house. Thank you to everyone in our community that helped out to make Drivers Ed such an informative fun way of learning about safe driving."
"I found the Drivers Education program very informative and helpful as a new driver. It was good to see the consequences of your actions on the day that we went to the police station, morgue and courthouse. It really sunk into my head that if I make a one second mistake it will impact my, and the victims, life forever. Altogether the week was very helpful and extended my knowledge on what to do and what not to do in a car."
"Last week DHS held their yearly Drivers Ed Program for the year 10 students of the school. It was an extensive week consisting in a lot of fun and engaging activities. The week was based around a mock car accident, which then we followed the impact trail it had. This experience was very educational and confronting at the same time. The week also consisted of a day at the local Car Club, where we were able to drive cars around a racetrack and drive a controlled driving track as well. Overall, the week was a great learning curve for a lot of people thanks to the time and money put in from the local community.
"The Driver Ed week was good, it was fun and had many important lessons taught. The mock accident was awesome because of how the emergency response workers treated it like it was a real accident. It was a bit hard though to follow the accident after that because of the group being broken up and new roles being given to different people. The mock court was fun too. To see and understand how everything worked inside. The best part though was the Car Club. Learning to how to handle a car at high speed and getting to practice the road rules without the threat of other oncoming traffic."
"The mock accident on Monday was good, getting a rough idea what happens in a car accident and how it is handled. Getting to wear the beer goggles was good as well showing what people are like when they are drunk. The talk with Vicki Richardson about texting while driving was a good lesson for the future showing that it can happen to anyone and there is always a consequence for doing something wrong. Getting a rough idea on how to drive was a good experience for when I get my L's. We went to the hospital, the morgue, police station and the courthouse. They were good as well, except for the morgue as it was a bit daunting. We had one of the paramedics talk to us as well. At the end of this week it was a good experience and is handy for the future."
"The Drivers Education program was a eye opening experience. I learnt how easy it was to lose control of a car being distracted for only a few seconds. I enjoyed going to the Car Club and tearing it up on the track. Losing control on a dirt road at high speed was a good learning curve know how easy it is and how to avoid it. Overall I had a great time."
"We began the week with a mock accident, the fire brigade and police gave up their time to create a feel for us as to what it would be like to witness, and or be in a car accident. They went through the correct procedure and treated the candidates as if they had actually been in a car accident. Doors were cut off the car, people were in neck braces, and the reality of a car accident was shown to us. To finish the day we went to the stadium and listened to a mother speak about her daughter who has died in a car accident from texting, listened to road rules, the danger of trucks and other heavy vehicles, and wore beer goggles which allowed us to get a grasp of how being drunk affects your vision.
The following days we went in a truck stimulator, to the police station and to the court house to allow the jury to decide the fate of the people who participated in the mock accident. Ryan was sentenced to jail.
Lastly, the car club provided us a day of learning and fun. We were able to drive around out there in cars, which consisted of, both manual and automatic. Learning to drive and manual was a great experience and 3 free driving lessons were given to each of us.
To future year 10's, this program is a great opportunity, which you will regret if not taken. So many people gave up their time to allow us to experience this."
"During the Drivers Ed program, I took away many life lessons and learnt a lot about being safe and cautious on the road. On the Monday we got to experience beer goggles and the effects on the body after having a certain amount of drinks. We also learnt about blind spots, diving with truck and road trains around us and got to witness first-hand what it's like to be in a rolled over truck and some of us participating in a mock accident. On Tuesday we went over the north side to Ian Fishers, to learn about mechanics and maintaining your car. We checked tread, changed tires and learnt about the cost of repairs and damage. Wednesday we were split into three groups with different activities each day. During the day we talked about mental health and drinking while driving, following that we learnt CPR and what to do to help the injured in an accident. Thursday we were off to the Car Club, were I learnt how to drive a manual for the first time and we were taught the road rules and signals on a practical course before picking up speed on the speed track. Bryan Purtill came along to give us a theory lesson and to help us with are parallel and 45 degree parking skills. Last but not least on Friday we had a day down the street visiting the Deniliquin Police Station learning about what happens when someone is charged with causing an accident, the hospital to see they treat injured drivers, the morgue to see the reality of a worst case scenario and finally the court house were we all participated in a mock court case, to see how the court works in cases of a driving accident. All together the Drivers Ed program was informative and an experience that has helped us all, and taught us how to be safe on the road."
- Ellie
"A week off school learning about cars and driving may not be exciting for all, but from my week in participating in the program I can say it was definitely worthwhile and educating. Day one began with a mock car accident. Sitting and watching what would really occur at an actual accident and the possible outcomes of drivers and passengers were eye opening. The talk Vicki Richardson gave definitely impacted many as it removed the thought of, ‘it's ok, I can text and drive as I'm an experienced driver.' Day two came around the workshop that we conducted at Northside Car Solutions definitely taught me a few things. I learnt how to change a tyre, how to check the air pressure of a tyre and the different sections under the bonnet such as the radiator and oil. Visiting Rural Ford on day three was worthwhile as I had no idea about the costs of buying my car as well as the extra costs such as insurance, servicing and registration. The Car Club as an exciting day as it was the first time I have ever driven. I learnt that I need to practice turning corners in a manual as I go around quite wide and fast. I learnt that I am quite good at parking, not knocking over any cones! The last day of the program had me quite assured that I never want to go to jail after the visit to the police station and sitting in the not so comfy nor clean cells. Overall the week was enjoyable teaching me numerous aspects of driving."
"The whole week was very informative and worthwhile. The Drivers education program allowed us to experience a range of different things young drivers should be aware of from buying a car to safety on the road. All of the activities though some were a little less interactive were all valuable. The week started off with us experiencing a mock accident where five students were able to take part and experience what it would be like to be involved in a crash. Later that day we went out to the stadium where we listened to Vicki Richardson who talked about texting and driving and how it lead to the death of her daughter. We then broke of into three groups were we routed around activities. The activities consisted of the roll truck at lumbers, experiencing beer goggles with the local police, a talk of truck and large vehicle safety. Day two we caught a bus to Ian Fishers where we were taught how to change a tyre on a car and basic car mechanics. Day three we broke off into our classes which we stayed in for the rest of the week. Wednesday we stayed at school for sessions one and two where we had a talk about drink driving and first aid such as resuscitation. We then visited Ford where we learnt about what to look for when buying a car which was very informative as I wouldn't have thought about most of the things said when buying a car. Day four was the Car Club where we had a lot of practical experience about driving and controlling cars. This was a very informative day where everyone got to experience firsthand what it is like to use basic road rules, to back and to control a car on a curve at high speeds. The last day of Drivers Ed took us down the streets of Deniliquin visiting Peppin Insurance, the local police station, the morgue and we experienced a mock court case which related to the mock accident that we experienced on Monday. The week was very informative and worthwhile."
"I found both the theory and practical side a very helpful and valuable. It taught a lot about not only the dangers or the things to consider as a driver, but also a lot about the consequences and how to attend to it. As of now, my approach when on the road is thinking more ahead, being more mindful of my surroundings and other vehicles, and most definitely thinking twice and making smarter choices."
"The Driver's Education week was highly educational, informing us on safe driving through various activities. It was enjoyable and I found it very beneficial. We got to watch a mock accident, which was treated as real life. It was very interesting to get a close up on everyone's different roles. We also got the privilege of following up on an accident and going to the police station, hospital, travel insurance, courthouse and the morgue. Overall, I had a great time and appreciate everyone in the community for making it happen."
"The week was very educational. I learnt a lot of new things, including how to reverse park, how to control a skid, a lot of different road rules and laws. During the mock accident I learnt what to do and how to keep myself and others safe. We learnt the consequences of texting and driving and we went through the process of what happens after an accident e.g. insurance company, hospital, police station and then the court house where we did a mock court case."
"The Driver's Ed program was helpful to me, with the talks from locals and volunteers. The talks were made it clear not to text while driving, do not driving while intoxicated or have used drugs. Mark Hay gave us great information on what to look for when buying our first car. The best day for me, was the Car Club; we were allowed to drive cars as fast as we wanted and learn more about the road rules."
"I found the Driver Education week was a worthwhile experience that gave me tips for the future. I would like to acknowledge all the helpful volunteers for giving up their time to teach and give advice, which was interesting and enjoyable."