Avery successful ‘Get Home Safe’ program was presented at the Penola Sports Club recently with more than 30 people in attendance.

It was the eighth consecutive year the South East community branches of Bendigo Bank have brought the program to the region.

Penola Bendigo branch manager Tara Batt said the evening was well attended.

“Typically the program is a student session at the high school where students experience driving under virtual reality, followed by a parent session,” she said.

“However due to a timetable clash this was unable to happen so the Bendigo Bank worked with the Penola Football and Netball Club to present a combined student and parent group.”

Darren Davis from the Get Home Safe Foundation shared with parents the importance of their role in teaching their children to drive and be safe on the roads, role modelling the right behaviours for their children and attending driving lessons with their learner drivers.

“Many believe that road fatalities and serious injuries are the result of risk taking or extreme behaviour,” he said.

“However, research shows that more than half of fatal crashes and 90% of injury crashes are due to mistakes, inattention or common lapses in judgement.

“Researchers believe that too many young drivers are not being taught well enough or equipped with enough skills and knowledge to drive safely.”

Mr Davis said there was some very positive discussion held between the Get Home Safe Foundation, the workzone traffic control and the attendees.

He said an important topic was how to make roads safer for young drivers, with the key take away being to ensure any unsafe or damaged roads are reported directly to the local council or to the Department of Infrastructure and Transport.

The highly acclaimed program, originally developed with the SA Police, is planned to return to Penola again next year.