Able Australia’s Queensland team led by Community Project Manager, Jessy Byrnes, are currently running the Seniors Road Trip to Road Safety Project.
Road Safety Statistics indicate that whilst driver’s over 60 years are only 24.5% of the licenced driver’s, they are 32.6% of the drivers in fatal crashes. Able Australia have partnered with a number of organisations with a vision to change this statistic.
Able Australia has partnered with The Ipswich District Crime Prevention Unit, Queensland Police Service, Ipswich District Neighbourhood Watch, Neighbourhood Watch Australasia, Ipswich PCYC- Braking the Cycle, Department of Transport and Main Roads and Pro Drive. The Department of Transport and Main Roads and Pro Drive were successful in receiving a grant through the Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors to facilitate the Seniors Road Trip to Road Safety project.
This project kicked off pre-COVID-19, and had a very successful outcome in the Boonah area in Queensland. The project provided information to our senior clients on safe driving, vehicle safety, mobility scooters, towing caravans and road rules. Lessons included driver simulators, and those who complete the full program receive a vehicle safety kit as well as a free practical driving lesson with Pro Drive.
We are very excited to be able to offer our clients this workshop to help reduce the percentage of car accidents for seniors.
The images below are from the recent workshop in Ipswich. The first image is one of our clients trying the fatal vision impairment goggles and the second image depicts Sergeant Nadine Webster from the Queensland Police Service teaching our senior clients about safe driving:
The image below was taken at the workshops in from Boonah pre-COVID, in February 2020:
For any questions or queries, please contact Jessy Byrnes on 07 5600 0733 or at jessy.byrnes@ableaustralia.org.au.