Student driver safety Learning to drive is a significant milestone in a teenager’s life, with students at St Andrew’s well-supported to become safe, competent drivers. The College offers a comprehensive Driver Education programme, under both the Year 11–12 Transition curriculum, and Senior College options. The most popular option is Defensive Driving, with around 3000 students completing the course since it was introduced to St Andrew’s in 2000. Driving instructor, Lois Eagle, who had taught driving skills to many St Andrew’s students since the late 1980s, ran the Defensive Driving programme until the end of 2005, when it was taken over by Mike Smith, who was Head of Transition and in charge of the Senior College Options programme at the College from 2002–2014. His passion for teaching students to drive safely was sparked by a series of tragedies, he says. “During my long teaching career, I attended the funerals of 20 young people who had died in vehicle accidents. A high proportion of those were due to poor driving decisions. It made me passionate about Defensive Driving.” After Mike retired from St Andrew’s in 2015, Ellen Hampson took over as Head of Transition, and she now runs the Senior College Options programme with
Brooklyn Lewis (Year 11) tests her forklift driving skills on a recent course.
Defensive Driving Instructor, Mike Smith, presents Year 13 students, Ella Guillemot-Mene and Chase Jordan with their Defensive Driving certificates.
Trish Bevin. Mike continues to deliver the Defensive Driving programme at St Andrew’s as an instructor contracted to the AA. He says the Defensive Driving course encompasses four in-class sessions totalling eight hours, plus a one hour practical driving session. “The emphasis is on driving safely, and learning the skills to identify hazards and react appropriately on the road. How to reduce risk is also an important aspect. An interactive computer program eDrive helps to improve hazard awareness.” The entire programme is excellent preparation for the full licence test, and can reduce the restricted licence period by six months. Ellen says some of the Driver Education courses available in the Transition and Senior College Options programmes can provide students with valuable NCEA credits, as well as improved driving skills. “Our programmes have a strong link to government initiatives around safe driving, with all students able to gain two credits at NCEA Level 1 for passing their learner licence, four credits at Level 2 for passing their restricted licence and four credits at Level 3 for achieving their full licence.”
Other popular aspects of the Driver Education programme include 4×4 Driving; Driver Training, which delivers driving lessons to students towards their learner licence; and an Advanced Driving half-day course at Ruapuna, where a licensed trainer teaches students how to control a vehicle in hazardous conditions such as ice, snow and gravel. Forklift Driving is another popular course, which when combined with a Defensive Driving qualification and Site Safety Certificate, can lead to some excellent holiday jobs or career options. A Quad Bike course is being reintroduced to the Transition programme in 2018, says Ellen. “This is a high risk activity for youth based on statistics, so it is important they learn safe practices.” Chaplain, Paul Morrow, also brings the annual Crash Bash educational road safety programme, organised by Christchurch City Council, in collaboration with New Zealand Police, to St Andrew’s each year, which delivers a strong safe driving message. This year’s Risk Factors show was produced by the Court Theatre, and was held in the Centennial Chapel on 22 March.