Youth and Road Trauma Forum

The aim is to help young people make decisions that reduce their risk of being involved in a crash

For the past four years Westmead Hospital and NRMA Motoring & Services have held Youth and Road Trauma Forums which are open to students in years 10 to 12 in all government and non government high schools in NSW and the ACT.

The Forums, held at the Acer Arena, Olympic Park, Homebush Bay began in 2006 with more than 4000 students from 31 high schools. In 2007 more than 10,000 students from 100 schools attended, in 2008 there were more than 12,000 students from 110 schools and in 2009 more than 11,000 students from 114 high schools.

They are held because our youth are being severely injured and killed due to potentially preventable road crashes. Westmead Hospital Trauma Nurses and NRMA are committed to decreasing these numbers.

Students hear from surgeons, emergency services personnel and crash victims about the harsh reality of car crashes. 17 to 25 year olds make up about 12 per cent of the population but are involved in about 50 per cent of speed related crashes, which often result in hospitalization.

The Forum also includes a realistic reconstructed car crash involving victims, police, ambulance and fire personnel. The graphic scene silences and shocks students.
 
In 2008 Westmead Hospital Director of Trauma, Dr Valerie Malka reminded students of the hundreds of teenagers she has met on the operating table as a result of road crashes. 
 
"We would like you to have a clear understanding of the consequences of speeding, drinking, taking drugs, not wearing a seatbelt and using mobile phones" Dr Malka said.
 
"There is nothing funny about scraping you off the road, pulling you out of a wrecked car, making the phone call to say you have been involved in a car crash or me coming out of an operating room to tell your parents, family and friends that unfortunately there was nothing else I could do to save your life."

The forum gives students who are most at risk, a realistic look at the trauma caused by road crashes and provides them information and strategies in an attempt to reduce serious injuries and deaths. The forum's contents and structure aims to treat young people as adults, allowing them freedom to choose from a range of interactive exhibits.

Evaluations of both students and teachers have rated the events very positively. There has also been significant interest and support from the media.

The Youth and Road Trauma Forums are:

• Open to all government and non government high schools in Sydney and surrounding areas 
• Each school attends for one day only 
• Held at Acer Arena (formerly known as the Superdome) Homebush Bay, Sydney 
• Provisional time frame is 9:30 to 2:30pm

The day includes an exciting combination of demonstrations, crash dynamics and rescue, vehicle stopping distances and active exhibits

There are displays relating to youth trauma and safety from:

• Westmead Hospital's Emergency Department
• NRMA's
  • Mobile Member Centre
  • Road and vehicle safety experts
  • Safer Driving School
• Brain Injury Unit
• Organ and Tissue Donation
• Drug and Alcohol Service
• The NSW Police
• Fire Brigade
• Ambulance Service
• CareFlight
• SES
• St John Ambulance
• Red Cross
• Driving Simulators
• Volvo Truck Roll-over Simulator
• Subaru
• Trent Driving and Wheelchair Sports Association

For more information

Youth and Road Trauma Forum
Phone:  9845 7072

Email: Stephanie_Wilson@wsahs.nsw.gov.au or Julie_seggie@wsahs.nsw.gov.au