Students from Melville High School attended a presentation by former and current NRL players focused on road safety yesterday.
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The Centre for Road Safety and NSW Rugby League (NSWRL) have joined together to create the Knock-on Effect clinic.
The idea behind the program is to shine a light on the effects of road accidents involving young people in regional areas and to prevent these accidents from happening through road safety awareness.
Year 10 and 11 students heard from Minister for Roads Melinda Pavey and NSWRL CEO David Trodden before listening to Road Safety Ambassadors Di and Graeme McMurtrie who shared their personal experience with how road trauma can affect small towns.
Former professional NRL players Andrew Ryan, Craig Wing, Josh Perry and current professional NRL player Tyson Frizell were also at Melville High yesterday to talk to the students about road safety.
Head PE teacher at Melville High School, Pelay Ingles, said the students hearing about facts of road accidents from people they look up to made the experience more valuable.
“Our school is glad to be apart of this program. We’ve had our share of experience with road trauma, so for the students to hear the message from people who have experienced it and also NRL players, they are more likely to take in the information,” Ms Ingles said.
Following the presentations, the students participated in a clinic training session with the NRL players.
Tyson Frizell, who plays for the St. George Illawarra Dragons, is a current NSW Rugby League player and a Australia Kangaroos representative, said the Knock-on Effect program is important in regional areas.
“We see a lot of tragedies on the road, and a lot of NSW NRL players are from country areas, it’s devastating looking at how many young people are involved in accidents,” he said.
“We can be a voice, and the more we help hopefully we will see the results. We can help give the kids a tap on the shoulder and reinforce the message of safe and responsible driving.”
Principal Victoria Staunton said the students were very engaged in the program yesterday.
“We’re a very strong league school and linking it with the NSW Rugby League made it connectable for the students and engaged them with the message of road safety,” Ms Staunton said.