Rocky Horror
Road Show
The last thing Year 12
students have on their minds
as they cram for final exams,
attempt their driving tests
and plan for Schoolies is the
serious message of road
safety and how it could
potentially impact their lives
beyond any school test.
It was for this very reason that
the Rocky Horror Road Show
Year 12 Harm Minimisation
Project was created in
October 2007 for students in
their final year of high school
across the Ipswich Police
District.
The workshop and chillingly
lifelike role-plays aim to raise
awareness among school
leavers about safe partying,
healthy relationships, drugs
and alcohol misuse, Schoolies
awareness and the stark
reality of car crashes and road
safety.
Ipswich District Crime
Prevention Coordinator and
project manager Sergeant
Nadine Webster was
instrumental in developing
the program. She said the
message she really wanted to
22 PoliceBulletin353
a breathtaking performance
convey to students
was Dont be a
statistic.
Schoolies
Week and other
celebrations
are only a short
period out of a
whole lifetime;
nobody wants to see our
young people end their lives
because of one decision to
participate in irresponsible
or intoxicated driving,
Sergeant Webster said.
Nor do we want to see
young people have their
We want leaving school
to be celebrated as a milestone,
not ended with a tombstone.
lives forever affected by
the consequences of
irresponsible or intoxicated
driver behaviour, whether it
be a physical, emotional or
criminal consequence.
We want leaving school
to be celebrated as a
milestone, not ended with a
tombstone.
The project involves inviting
students from high schools
across Ipswich District to
perform a role-play, which
starts at a party where
everyone is drinking alcohol.
An intoxicated person then
offers to drive his or her
friends home, which leads
to the vehicle becoming
involved in a fatal traffic
crash.
The second part of the
scenario involves the
Emergency Services
attending the crash. The
performance strives to be
uncomfortably lifelike to drive
home what actually happens
at the scene of a traffic crash.
Undertakers and emergency
workers are present as
extraction devices are used
to open the vehicle and
remove the people trapped
inside.
The roles are played by key
students selected from each
school, such as class captains
and prefects, which enhances
the dramatic effect and helps
the audience personalise the
message. Full use is made of
special effects such as make-
up and fake blood.
Presenters then explain
to students
how the bad
decisions of
the people
involved caused
the crash, and
how better
decisions could
have saved those
lives.
Guest speakers, including
representatives of accident
and emergency services, the
Spinal Injuries Association
and the QPS Forensic Crash
Investigation Unit then
address the students in small
groups.
The program is conducted
every October and is
attended by up to 1,500
school leavers in the Ipswich
district.
This year, the Rocky Horror
Road Show will also be
extended to 16-18-year-olds
who no longer attend high
school but are involved with
a youth service provider.
Other police districts
within Southern Region
and Northern Region are
also considering adopting
the program, with some
students from Dalby, Tara
and Chinchilla attending the
presentation for the first time
last year.
By Kate Stephens
Media and Public Affairs
Branch