ON Thursday 18 June News Of The Area visited Bowraville Central School to see the Rescue and Education Program running for the first time.

The session was attended by senior students.

Bowraville Fire and Rescue NSW, Nambucca Valley Police, and Nambucca Valley Highway Patrol guided the session for the students.

Max Duncan, Station Commander at Bowraville Fire and Rescue NSW, said the session was, “About our young drivers and passengers understanding risk on the road and that there are consequences for their actions.

“There is a tendency to think it is never going to happen to me,” Acting Inspector Anthony Smith, from Nambucca Valley Police told the students.

Highway patrol spoke about the thousands of stories that could be shared about the trauma and impact of road accidents on families, communities, and first responders.

The five major behaviours that cause car accidents were shared with the students.

These are speeding, fatigue, driving under the influence (both alcohol and/or drugs), driving distractions such as mobile phones, and non-compliance with seat belts.

The emergency services staff encouraged the young people to think about the consequences of their actions.

There was a wrecked car at the session that was donated by Luke Pell Towing in Bowraville.

“ (It is) good for kids to see the wrecked car so they can see the aftermath of a car accident,” said Mr Duncan.

At the event, Nambucca Valley News Of The Area reporter Rachel McGregor-Allen shared her experience of surviving a near fatal car accident from her youth.

At the conclusion of her talk Mrs McGregor-Allen said, “I was 17 at the time and I’m so lucky to have survived.

“Please be careful with your driving, listen to what the emergency services staff are telling you about the five dangerous driving behaviours, and never get into a car with someone who you think should not be driving.”