Donnybrook District High School cancels Road Trauma Prevention Day after student’s death in car crash

A high school in one of the State’s worst areas for fatal car crashes has scrapped its annual crash simulation — designed to show teenagers the reality of driving on regional roads — just months after one of its students died in a crash. The former deputy principal and emergency services responder behind the course says he is “gutted” it has been canned because of the potential fatalities it prevents in the South West. Donnybrook District High School informed organisers of the Road Trauma Prevention Day the annual event, which was due to be held on August 10, would never run again because of the student’s death late last year. It comes after a 14-year-old boy died after a car hit a tree on Knights Road in October, just 8km from the school. The day was centred around a mock accident, with ambulance, fire and police staff attending to educate the students and show them the realities of the scene of a crash. The school said the decision to cancel the event, which is held for Year 10 students, was made in consultation with its psychology service, with their students’ best interests in mind. Department of Education South West director Sue Cuneo said road safety would instead be taught through a theory-based Keys4Life program, which is rolled out across WA. “Donnybrook District High School was recently impacted by the tragic death of a student in a car accident,” Ms Cuneo said. “The school will continue educating students about the importance of road safety through the Keys4Life program, which is currently being delivered to educate young people about safer road use.” But Garry Davis, a volunteer fire and ambulance officer who started the program when he was deputy principal at the school 11 years ago, said the practical workshop was essential in preventing young deaths on the road. “Not long before I got to Donnybrook 14 years ago, Bridgetown lost three or four kids within a year,” he said. “You can’t quantify it, but as far as I am concerned, between Bridgetown and Donnybrook we have prevented, or at least had the chance to prevent, so many fatalities it is beyond belief. “The school’s statement is they will put processes in place to make sure the kids know the risks. It simply won’t be as effective as what we have done.” In May 2021, Mr Davis — who was first on the scene when a 14-year-old boy died in a crash near Donnybrook last October — told the South Western Times car crashes were the main incidents the Donnybrook Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service was called out to. “It’s a confronting day for the kids, but it teaches them to be careful. It makes you feel like you’ve done what you can before they set out on the roads,” he said. Mr Davis said kids who had been involved in road trauma had participated in the day before and the organisers would look after them. “We monitor them and we also let them know that if it gets too confronting they can step out,” he said. “In that 10 years, I have had one person I have had to talk to because they found it too hard, but we always give them the option.” A total of 196 people were killed or seriously injured on South West roads in 2021 — 11.2 per cent of incidents across the State — according to State Government statistics.