Northland students want to end road death SADDness

SADD National Leader Angharad Yearbury-Murphy, a year 12 student at Tauraroa Area School, said Northland students have solutions to the shocking New Zealand road toll

Northland students have had enough of the region's and country's burgeoning road toll and want to do something about it.

From placing advisory notices about road safety issues on school cars, to a "Great Cardboard Car Race" – Northland students are joining students nationwide this September to highlight important road safety issues.

Students taking part in SADD's (Students Against Dangerous Driving) SAFER September campaign hope their activities will influence all New Zealanders to drive safely and make an impact on reducing road trauma.

SADD National Leader Angharad Yearbury-Murphy, a year 12 student at Northland's Tauraroa Area School, hopes the activities they're planning have a real impact.
Northland's road toll stands at 20 so far in 2019.

"SAFER September is a really important month to me. It gives us a great opportunity to spread awareness in our communities and really get people involved," Angharad said.

"I've really enjoyed seeing all my fellow students working together to make their cardboard cars for the Great Cardboard race and really motivating themselves to be a part of the activities."

The Great Cardboard Car Race, being held at Tauraroa Area School on September 13, will
see students complete an obstacle course under different conditions to demonstrate the effects of speed on safety.

SADD national manager Donna Govorko is really impressed with the SADD groups' efforts to make a difference to these statistics.

"Having experienced the tragedy of road crashes first hand as a police officer, it is heartening to experience the passion our SADD students have to help influence all New Zealanders to be safe on our roads," she said.

"I also applaud the students' aspiration to help prepare their peers to be safe on our roads heading into summer and the end of the school year."

AA policy and research national manager Simon Douglas said AA was right behind SADD and SAFER September.

SADD delivers against its vision through its student National Leadership Programme and its larger student membership. SADD works closely with New Zealand Transport Agency, New Zealand Police and New Zealand Automobile Association as well as maintaining strong links with local authorities.

For more information or to get in touch with students taking part in SAFER September go to sadd.org.nz/saferseptember.