Emerald Lions Club past president Ray Spencer and Berwick LIONS Clubs from across the state are working together to reduce the Christmas road toll by offering sponsorship for a defensive driving course.
The clubs have been donating their hardearned funds to a program call Project – Driving Force, a drivers’ education program that targets young drivers between the ages of 1525.
The program was initiated by the Berwick Lions Club last year and has gained support and interest from many organisations including 13 local lions clubs, state and federal politicians, local councillors, community churches, auto clubs and local police.
Berwick Lions Club president Graham Cockerell and Emerald Lions Club past president Ray Spencer have travelled more than 2500 kilometres promoting the program to Lions clubs in Victoria over the past two months.
Mr Cockerell said in the past two weeks clubs across the state had pledged $4000 in support of the program.
He said there were 13 clubs financially involved in the program and another 30 had expressed interest.
Mr Cockerell, a RACV contractor and tow truck driver for more than 20 years, said the driving force behind his involvement in the project came after the death of his apprentice mechanic, Scott Kelly, in a crash that killed three people several years ago.
“Drivers are taught how to get their licence, not how to manage the road conditions or anticipate other driver’s behaviour,” he said.
Mr Spencer said he had a passion for the course as there had been too many lives lost on the road.
“If we can give the young people the experience on the road to keep them alive to live the rest of their lives then we have done something good,” he said.
District Lions clubs have engaged the services of Murcott’s Driving Excellence training based at Sandown raceway to carry out clinics.
Mr Cockerell said the courses normally cost $260 but Murcott’s had discounted it to $99 and had offered to provide one free position for every 10 funded by Lions.
“Every $100 we raise for the program enables one person to do the course,” he said.
Warragul resident Tanya Thomson, 19, took part in the course last year and said it had helped her get out of many sticky situations on the road.
Ms Thomson said the course taught her how to use her brakes properly when approaching a bad situation on the road.
“The course was very beneficial for me and there are a lot of people out there behind the wheel of a car that don’t know how to handle their brakes properly,” she said.
