KEY POINTS:
A Papamoa woman whose husband was killed by a repeat drink driver says work is progressing on her plan to take his mangled motorbike to schools in an effort to get drunks off the road.
Jos Mason wants to give a graphic indication to teenagers about what can
happen when people drive drunk.
She revealed in July her idea to take her late husband Leon's bike - a 1998 Moto Guzzi Daytona - to schools in the hope that by raising awareness of the senseless way he died, lives can be saved.
Leon, 33, died after repeat drunk driver Gordon Armstrong, 53, crossed the centre line on State Highway 33 at Okere Falls on April 29 and ploughed into him and friends Toni Dommerholt-Purchase, 43, and Simon Short, 37.
Mrs Mason, who had two boys aged four and one with her husband, plans to put her husband's bike and also Mr Short's in a trailer to take to Bay secondary schools and bike shows.
There will also be pictures of Leon and his friends and the cold facts about his injuries.
Students will see for themselves the damage caused by a drunk driver.
"I think the only way to get through to people is to be graphic," Mrs Mason said.
She said construction of the trailer should be completed by Christmas though the hard task of permanently mounting the bikes to show them in full visual effect was yet to come.
She will be working closely with Western Bay Road Safety - which has organised campaigns to raise awareness about issues such as speed, drink driving, fatigue and child restraints. If everything goes well, Mrs Mason could be visiting schools by February.
Following the death of her husband and friends she set up a website - www.badd.co.nz for the New Zealand Bikers Against Drunk Drivers Trust (NZBADD).
To increase awareness of NZBADD, Mrs Mason is sorting merchandise including t-shirts and badges which she hopes motorcycle dealerships will sell.
She will be at Taupo on October 14 for the New Zealand Sidecar Racing Association where she will hand out bumper stickers with the slogan "I'd rather passenger a sidecar than a drunk driver."
Mrs Mason appealed for someone to donate a vehicle she can use to tow the trailer when it is completed.
Anyone who wants to help can contact her through the website.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES
