Minister celebrates 10th anniversary of RAAP

An important road safety education program for high school students that demonstrates the trauma associated with cutting a person from a wrecked car has reached a significant milestone this month.

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts was on hand today to mark the 10^th anniversary of Queensland Fire and Rescue Services’ (QFRS) Road Awareness and Accident Prevention (RAAP) program, which was first presented to students at Redbank Plains High School and is now delivered across the state.

The RAAP program, which has been presented to more 200,000 grade 12 students, targets young drivers, along with novice and pre-licenced drivers in universities, TAFEs and military colleges.

The program, which was an initiative of now-retired Queensland firefighter Bruce Barnes, and is currently presented to almost 90 per cent of all grade 12 students in Queensland – almost 33,000 students in 2006.

“As the road toll in Queensland rises year after year, road safety is an issue firefighters take very seriously,” said Mr Roberts.

“Firefighters say cutting a person from a car is traumatic for them, so I can only imagine how traumatic that is for the driver. The RAAP program is an effective and unique way to educate drivers from a firefighter’s perspective.

“This year the RAAP program will be overhauled and modernised to ensure that it continues to encourage safe driving habits among young drivers and also to keep in line with the Education Department’s requirements for curriculum and key learning outcomes.”

QFRS attended almost 13,800 motor vehicle accidents in the 2006/07 financial year and extricated 758 people from vehicles.

“I’m pleased to see the number of extrications performed by firefighters is down slightly on previous years, however two people cut out of motor vehicles every day, on average, is still too many,” Mr Roberts said.

In Queensland, 17-24 year olds account for 27 per cent of all road fatalities, despite making up only 12 per cent of the population.

The RAAP program aims to reduce this figure by providing year 12 students with a practical, interactive insight into what happens in a road accident, the aftermath and the effects on victims and their families.

Annual Breakdown of QFRS Extrications

2002/3 672

2003/4 760

2004/5 808

2005/6 823

2006/7 758

Regional Breakdown of QFRS Extrications – 2006-07

Northern Region 53

Central Region 73

South West Region 65

North Coast Region 161

Brisbane Region 182

South East Region 170

Far Northern Region 54

For more information on the RAAP program contact QFRS Media Office on (07) 3247 8186.

Ministerial media contact: Tim Shipstone 07 3247 8194, 0409 620 571.

Brendan Connell 07 3247 8992, 0437 837 976