$2.5 million Road Safety Initiative for 9-14 year olds arrives in Canberra today

A $2.5 million multi-media road safety initiative called RoadZone - aimed at fostering safe road user behaviour in tomorrow´s drivers - opens in Canberra today thanks to the National Roads & Motorists´ Association Limited (NRMA).
The exhibition will be officially opened at Questacon by NRMA
President, Nicholas Whitlam and ACT Chief Minister, John
Stanhope.Mr Whitlam said RoadZone addresses mobility safety issues
associated with pedestrians, cyclists, passengers and drivers
through the use of state of the art computer technology and
interactive exhibits."Children learn best when they are engaged in the learning
process and RoadZone brings road safety to life in a fun and highly
interactive way for the nine to 14 age group," Mr Whitlam said."The exhibition challenges students' awareness of potential road
hazards as they navigate through the streets of a fictional town
known as Hazard Point. The 90 minute sessions provide students with
an opportunity to experience a range of interactive road safety
exhibits that depict real life experiences."For example, students can conduct their own crash dummy tests,
build a vehicle with a choice of luxury or safety options and
identify how cyclists and pedestrians can be more visible in
traffic. Other issues covered include how a helmet can protect your
head in the event of a crash, the effects of alcohol on driving
ability, and the impact of peer pressure."The Tune In component of Roadzone challenges children to
skateboard through a virtual maze while tuning a radio,
demonstrating the difficulty and danger in performing two tasks at
one time. Street Quiz tests student´s knowledge of road sense
and road rules. Wheel of Misfortune demonstrates how behaviour on
the road can influence your chances of survival," Mr Whitlam
said.RoadZone was designed in conjunction with project partner,
Questacon - the National Science and Technology Centre in Canberra,
which has an international reputation for developing interactive,
fun and educational exhibits. Since its launch in September 1999
more than 110,000 students have visited RoadZone.Questacon Programs Manager, Neil Hermes, said that the
exhibition transforms traditional classroom lessons into a more
powerful and realistic learning experience. This experience is
enhanced with the use of some of the latest in multimedia
technologies - combining video and digital imagery with clever
interactives."RoadZone is road safety education at its best, tackling
important issues like peer pressure, behavior, consideration for
others and taking responsibility for your own actions. The
exhibition combines Questacon's expertise in building world-class
interactive exhibitions with NRMA's drive to make our streets
safe," Mr Hermes said.Mr Whitlam said the aim of RoadZone is to mould responsible
attitudes towards driving and road safety at an impressionable age
so these attitudes will stay with students when they become
drivers.RoadZone demonstrates NRMA´s commitment to road safety and
complements other initiatives including SHIFT2, an interactive CD
Rom, and the Getting There booklet for learner drivers.