Creating sustainable community partnerships to promote road safety in schools – fit to drive (F2D) implementation

The integrated F2D model of research, development and delivery involves a multi stakeholder approach to road safety that is local and long term. This paper will explain how the research and development of the Fit to Drive (F2D) program is implemented in Senior Secondary schools, TAFE and community settings in Victoria.
Supported by major stakeholders in road safety education in Victoria* the paper explores how the program builds on and extends the collaborative ability and potential of “F2D community networks” (local school groups, local government, universities) and uses trained university students as road safety education facilitators and ambassadors.
The half day F2D program for 16 year olds, currently involves over 50 Local Government Areas, 220 Government, Independent and Catholic schools, 26,000 young people and has trained more than 500 university undergraduates to be road safety facilitators. As part of the first action plan of Victoria’s Road Safety Strategy 2013-2022, it will be made available to all schools.
The undergraduate peer led approach, combined with targeted community partnerships is presented as a local community road safety response and community capacity building model that is a potential paradigm for other communities, within the context of the “Decade of Action for Road Safety”. The paper explains how the Fit to Drive (F2D) community model of delivery that is evidence based is both measured and sustainable.
*Transport Accident Commission(TAC), Victoria Police, VicRoads, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB), Country Fire Authority (CFA), State Emergency Services (SES), Royal Auto Club of Victoria (RACV)