Robbie Heritage accepts a thank you certificate from CFA operations officer Don Tomkins.
By Mara Pattison-Sowden
YARRA Valley’s emergency services have celebrated the success of its hard-hitting Teenage Road Information Program.
The reality check for young drivers was held at Woori Yallock’s Heritage Funeral Homes in August, where young people and their families experienced what happens to road crash victims and the aftermath of injuries and fatalities.
Daniel van der Hoek from Wandin shared his story at the TRIP night, where he was less than three months away from sitting his VCE exams in September 2005 when he ploughed into a truck and, as he put it “sheared off the side of my car and the right hand side of my body”.
CFA Operations Officer Don Tomkins said he was astounded by the number of people who attended the program.
“We weren’t sure we’d have 40 people on the night, and ended up with 340,” he said.
“We’ve had good feedback, written and online, saying it’s changed people’s driving behaviours.
“After the last couple of fatalities occurred locally and elsewhere there was a discussion on 3AW, and three people rang in (from the valley) and talked about the positive impact of the TRIP program.”
The Yarra Valley group has already had seven requests so far to expand the program for other teenagers across Victoria.
“We’re going to bring the package together as a single resource to offer to other places,” he said.
“If we can have each location identify a ‘Daniel’ to talk about what’s happened to them and how it’s impacted them, it will have more of a local influence for them.”
The Yarra Valley emergency services group made up of CFA members, SES, Victoria Police, and Ambulance Victoria members were all present on Tuesday 23 November to thank the groups who supported the program, including Heritage and Heritage, the Mail Newspaper Group, Yarra Valley FM, Yarra Valley Mountain District Football Netball Club, Driver Dynamics and the community bank branches of Woori Yallock, Yarra Junction and Warburton Bendigo Banks.
