School Notice Board

2023 Driver Education at THS 

The ‘Willowbank’ Safe Driver Training and Youth Driver Expo in Tamworth are back on the agenda in 2023. While the YDE will continue at Tamworth Trac, in negotiation with SDT Australia to move the ‘Willowbank Hands-on Driving’ experience to Carnell Racetrack in Stanthorpe, so no more up at 5am to travel to Willowbank raceway. If this relocation is successful, we will be able to have two ½ day events, one for Year 11 and another for Year 12. 

Tenterfield Rotary will once again provide funds to hire a bus so that year 11 & 12 can go to YDE and SDT at no cost. Since 2004 YDE and Willowbank Safe Driver Training have been on the excursion calendar as an annual event, and for the past 16 years Tenterfield Rotary has made funding available for our students to attend two of the most important excursions in their time at school.  Rotary held their annual Trivia Night on Saturday the 27th of May at the Tenterfield Golf Club to raise funds to support THS Driver Education.

These excursions evolved out of a need to protect our young people after a series of tragic accidents in the early 2000’s. Our community has seen a repetition of such events with each new school generation and, if anything, the need and relevance of such excursions has only increased.

It is a sad fact that young drivers die on our roads every day. Recent statistics show that 1 in 6 people will be killed or injured in a road accident between the ages of 15 and 25.  Many young people on country roads speed, use mobile phones, and are often distracted by passengers or music, placing themselves at risk of a crash. In the country the added factors of fatigue, long distances and dirt roads add to the risk of crashes occurring.  

Mobile phone have proved a particularly dangerous item in the car, increasing the likelihood of a crash by 42 times, and recent studies have displayed that texting or talking on a mobile phone while driving, impedes a driver’s skill to about the same as a mid-range alcohol reading (.08 BAR).  Students were reminded that the use of a mobile phone, even hands-free by a leaner, Red P or Green P plater is an offence.

In the past special guests have included families affected by road fatalities, doctors involved in saving lives, a person who was first at a fatality scene, people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury, even a 22 year old released from prison for the day to discuss his own experience and involvement in a road fatality, and the personal consequences to himself and his passenger.

The YDE day will cover safety tips for seatbelt usage, braking techniques, insurance information, a Northwest region police presentation on the factors that most often cause accidents and interviews with road accident victims who have suffered brain injury.  The highlight of the day will be an accident re-enactment, including police, fire-brigade, ambulance and court processes. 

Tenterfield High recognises that the only way our students can become safe drivers is to offer students access to the very best in Safe Driver Training.  In addition to the Youth Driver Expo our students will be attending the Safe Driver Training course once more in 2023, hopefully at Carnell Racecourse.  At this course students will be exposed to car control techniques, focused on remaining control of a vehicle under breaking, steering and vision skills and looking ahead, thinking ahead to avoid dangerous situations.

Peter Woodrow

NAIDOC Week 2-9 July 2023

Tenterfield High School acknowledges NAIDOC & will celebrate with planned activities for students in September.