Safety tips: Jacqueline Craven and Ashlee Crane were among those who got lessons on road safety. Picture: Marco De Luca
HUME year 11 students are on track to be champions of road safety.
Last Thursday, about 40 students attended a Fit to Drive forum in Craigieburn where they were joined by Deputy Police Commissioner Kieran Walshe.
Each year, Hume Council funds every secondary college in the municipality to run the Fit to Drive workshop in schools with year 11 students.
Fit to Drive is a program for young people that aims to make them more aware of road safety issues.
Deputy Commissioner Walshe, now the ambassador for the Fit to Drive Foundation, initiated the forums, with the first one held in Hume.
Aitken College head of senior school David Murphy said its two students at the forum had found it beneficial.
"My students afterwards actually commented that they got so much more out of it than they thought," he said.
"They were really pleased to interact with other students."
Mr Murphy said students watched presentations and videos and then worked in groups to design a media campaign around road safety.
"It was fantastic," he said.
"The deputy commissioner attended, which indicates how importantly it was taken.
"They presented statistics from the Hume area today and said in this area there's a lot of speed-related crashes."
Craigieburn's Senior Sergeant Glenn Parker said peer pressure was a major issue for young drivers.
"At some point in their lives young people go through a stage of invincibility," he said.
"When you get your licence don't be influenced by your peers. Think about what you're doing; be aware of the impact it has on yourself, your friends, family and the wider community."
Senior Sergeant Parker added: "These kids are getting a headstart on what's appropriate driver behaviour.
"They can drive home the road safety message among their peers."