Speed is one thing Taradale Intermediate School students Andrew Bevin and Malia Begley will take extra care with when they learn to drive. Andrew, 13 and Malia, 12, took part in an ACC speed trailer school project for one hour at Murphy Road, Taradale on Monday, with six of their classmates. Theproject was a learning experience for the students, but a fun one at that - they used speed recording equipment worth more than $10,000. The group was split up into two groups, each recording the oncoming traffic and each member of the group had a separate job to do. Set up with deck chairs and all the right gear, the students weren't too fussed about the arrival of reporters and photographers - they were more concerned about recording every single car that passed. But they didn't mind receiving a few beeps and waves from people passing by. Andrew, who recorded number plates while Malia called out the speeds showing on the laser gun, said the fastest speed they had recorded was 67km/h (in a 50km/h zone). He said while it was good to get out of class and into the fresh air, the project would also influence his future driving speeds. "It will make us think about the speed we are going at when we drive," Andrew said. An appropriate speed for a 50km area was "under 50", Malia said. All the figures would be taken back to the classroom to analyse including car makes, models and colours. The students would compare their results with those from speed trailers, that would be left at the same location for a week. Letters informing drivers of their speed may be sent out. Organised by Hawke's Bay ACC injury prevention consultant Max Neumegen, the project was another angle to help road safety work within the community. "What you find is that the kids learn to read speed and hopefully will take that in later in life," Mr Neumegen said. The project had operated in 18 schools during the past three years, Mr Neumegen said. "Nobody else in the country does injury prevention like I do things here. It's different and it works. "Inappropriate speed is an old subject. Here, we are teaching the physics of speed in a new way - in a way you can't get across in a pamphlet."
