NSW Ambulance paramedics shared their road safety message to around 25,000 students from almost 200 schools over three days at bstreetsmart, held at Qudos Bank Arena from 22 to 24 August..
The annual event aims to reduce the fatality and injury rates of young people by promoting safe behaviour for drivers and passengers.
NSW Ambulance Chief Superintendent Mark Gibbs said paramedics were all too familiar with motor vehicle collisions involving young people.
“Unfortunately, we still see too many road crashes where a young person is seriously injured or killed,” Chief Superintendent Gibbs said.
“The consequences can be traumatic and heart breaking, not only for those involved but also for their families, friends and for our paramedics who are often first on scene.”
Inexperience, peer pressure, speed, fatigue, drugs and alcohol are some of the most common reasons behind traffic incidents involving young people.
NSW Ambulance paramedics and Triple Zero (000) call takers attended the event to speak to students, with a display from the Special Operations team and a visit from NSW Ambulance dogs Solly and Wally. An ambulance vehicle also took part in a realistic crash scenario.
NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dr Dominic Morgan said the organisation is supportive of any initiative that may help to reduce road trauma.
“In a split second, a motor vehicle collision can change a young person’s life forever. We don’t want to see one more life lost in a crash that could have been prevented, which is why we’re pleased to be involved in bstreetsmart for another year,” Dr Morgan said.
This year, the NSW Ambulance CPR educators were there encouraging students to “have a go” at practising CPR.
Check out the photos from the event below!
