Local schools ready to PARTY

Students in the Great Southern in the process of obtaining their driver’s licence will take part in the powerful reality education program called P.A.R.T.Y (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth) at Albany Health and Katanning Health Campuses from Tuesday 26 March 2019.

According to the WA Country Health Service’s Regional Director, David Naughton, the program aims to positively influence the decision making of young people by highlighting the consequences of risk taking behaviour. 

Mr Naughton said students go behind the scenes with paramedics, doctors, physiotherapists and occupational therapists for insight to the experience of a patient with major trauma such as head and spinal injuries.

“After attending the program, evaluation indicates that students’ believe they are more likely to be injured as a result of taking a risk and they report that they are less likely to engage in risk taking behaviour,” Mr Naughton said.

P.A.R.T.Y has a strong focus on road safety and the role of the driver or passenger in a vehicle. It also addresses the risks associated with speed, fatigue and alcohol and drug use.

Key to its success is the involvement and support of local agencies including St John’s Ambulance, Palmerston and the Department of Education.

Young people (17-24) are a priority group for road trauma prevention since they are over-represented in local road crash statistics.

• From 2012-2016, young people aged 17-24 accounted for 19 per cent of those killed or seriously injured in Great Southern road crashes but only make up eight per cent of the population.
• 63 per cent of serious road crashes in the Great Southern involved only a single vehicle that either ran-off-road, rolled over or collided with an object.
• In 2016, 71 people were killed or seriously injured in Great Southern road crashes. Fatigue, excessive speed and alcohol use were the most common contributing factors.