Plans are well underway for this year's NOT A STATISTIC! Youth Driver Education Program, with the youth actors for the mock car crash demonstration selected, dates are locked in for the rehearsal schedule and filming the establishing videos.
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Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils' Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, announced the cast this week, and welcomes Emily McHugh-Douglas from Parkes, Wally Campbell and Jade Carpenter from Forbes, with Krystle-Lee McMurray from Forbes returning.
"There was a lot of interest in the auditions this year - we had the largest turn-out of youth actors yet. Most had been to mock crash last year and wanted to be involved, especially as this year we are celebrating our 10th anniversary,” Ms Suitor said.
"Casting was very difficult - everyone was so talented. Whilst there are only four roles available for the mock crash demonstration, we offered the other actors roles in the establishing scenes.
"Our youth actors have already been put through their paces, attending Road Crash Rescue Training with the Parkes State Emergency Services, to see how they cope being cut from a car and carried on a casualty board.
"Work now turns towards the table reads and getting ready to film the establishing scenes and victim impact statements.
"Once filming is completed, there will be briefings from NSW Ambulance about injuries, a table read to get a feel for the script and ab-lib opportunities, with rehearsals kicking off in July," Ms Suitor said.
More than 4,000 Year 10 students from across the Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Council areas have participated in the program since its inception.
The program involves a pre-classroom lesson and the very realistic mock car crash demonstration, which this year will be held in the Multi-Purpose Centre at Parkes High School.
"The program aims to show young drivers what can and does happen far too often on our local roads. It challenges them to think about their attitudes and behaviour as not only drivers but also as passengers.
"During the 10 years that this program has been running we have recorded a 27% decrease in crashes on local roads involving a young driver (17 - 25 years old)," Ms Suitor said.
The mock car crash demonstration is scheduled for Friday, August 17, 2018.
More than 500 Year 10 students from across the Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils will be attending. The final dressed rehearsal on Monday, August 20 will be open to the public.
