Thousands of Top End high school students gathered at the Darwin Convention Centre for AANT’s fifth Street Smart High program
More than 1000 students from high schools across the Top End have come together for AANT’s annual road safety program. Find out what they learnt.
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“Your future is bright — get there safely.”
That was just one of many messages shared to high school students at the AANT’s fifth Street Smart High road safety program on Thursday.
The program kicked off at the Darwin Convention Centre, with hundreds of students hailing from schools across the Top End watching on in the audience.
After a welcoming and touching guest speech from Eli Murn, the program quickly moved into a realistic simulated crash scene, featuring real emergency services vehicles and live acting.
The simulation — a core feature of the program and a fan favourite — was designed to show young people the potentially consequences of dangerous driving and bring critical road safety lessons to life.
Students were also treated to a fun, yet insightful, game of wheelchair basketball.
For the remainder of the event, the audience heard from a number of guest speakers — including Melissa McGuinness OAM, Blake Wilson and Alistair Wyvill — who shared their stories.
Since it began in 2021, the event has engaged more than 5000 Year 10, 11 and 12 students from across the Top End, providing them with immersive experiences similar to those seen on Thursday.
In the Northern Territory, road deaths occur at a rate 3.2 times higher than the national average, with drivers under 25 particularly vulnerable.
Year 11 student Peyton Clay said the realism of the program was what made it the most impressive.
“It was a pretty realistic experience, I got to learn the realistic side of driving and understanding the road rules better,” she said.
“I also learnt how drugs and alcohol can affect your vision when you’re driving, as well as the consequences of it.
“Like a few of the speakers have said, ‘Your intentions don’t matter, it’s the choices you make and what comes out of them’.”
Peyton’s friend Kalolaine Panuve, also in Year 11, said AANT did an “amazing job” at organising the event.
“I found it really good; it showed the importance of making the right choices while driving,” she said.
“And it showed people always have the choice between going down the right path or the wrong path.”
DRIVE RESPONSIBLY
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Originally published as Thousands of Top End high school students gathered at the Darwin Convention Centre for AANT’s fifth Street Smart High program
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