The Road…
After the loss of our son in 2010 we decided that if we could find a way to spare others of this heartache, then that’s something we would do. After a little research we became aware of The Right Track: a driver education program targeting repeat offenders. The Right Track was different. Not a program focused on how to get a licence or how to control a car when it slides, it was all about choice. What are the choices drivers need to make to keep themselves and others safe.
The program runs over several weeks and has a number of sessions. Each session has a different focus that when combined over the course of the program helps learners understand the impact of their offending and equips them with a set of skills for making better choices.
It is phenomenally successful. An evaluation by Waikato police concluding that of the programs delivered in Waikato since inception that analysed offending two years prior to program participation and two years afterwards showed a decrease of 96% in all offences committed. Not only did driver choice and behaviour improve, almost all offending ceased.
In 2011 we brought the program to Christchurch. The program ran for about 4 or 5 years and proved successful here. It was truly inspiring to be a part of the team and to witness first hand some wonderful transformations. The change was so impactful for a number of our learners that they continued to return to subsequent programs as volunteers supporting new learners in the program.
Unfortunately, a program of this nature is not without cost and our funding here in Christchurch once exhausted led to the program ceasing its operation. For any charitable, not for profit organisation, funding is critical and there are lots of competitors for funds that are available. It’s taken some time but we are now in the position where secured funds are breathing new life into the program at a national level.
We are now establishing regional charitable trusts that will govern the programs and take responsibility for the management and ongoing funding of the program in that region. In Christchurch the trust is now established and The Right Track will return to the city in November and December of this year. In 2022 we will be offering 4 programs in Christchurch.
We are 223 days into this year and there have been 203 deaths on New Zealand roads. The social, emotional and economic impact of 1 death is massive and this happens on an almost daly basis in this country. It’s horrific, deeply upsetting and something we, collectively, must do something about.
I was interviewed recently for an article in stuff. This particular piece has been motivated by the tragic events that have taken place in Timaru recently. 5 young men losing their life in 1 crash. My heart aches for the devastation this will be causing their families. The community will be hurting so much and the impact will reverberate for years to come. There will be anger, sadness, hurt and an overwhelming sense of lost possibilities. It will be hard to heal and those most intimately effected will take years to recover, if they ever do.
When we lost Nayan there was much said about choices. For us these were the right things to do. Anger and hatred didn’t service us, our family and our friends. They were emotions that, for me, trapped me in my grief and allowed no light into my life. Choosing to let these things go and striving to make the world we live in a better place provided the impetus for me to slowly move away from the darkness and back towards the light. It has been more than eleven years now and my emotions still to this day overwhelm from time to time. I miss by boy terribly still and would give anything to have him here with us still. But this is possible and I’m not broken.
By finding compassion and choosing to move forward I have found peace and I’m happy. I grateful for the many wonderful things and people in my life. I have dreams, hope and ambition for my future, My life is filled with joy and I’m confident this was only possible by finding a way to let go of those emotions that had me stuck.
I’m not saying that others in these situations should make the same choices I did. Who am I to suggest this, telling them how to feel or what to do? Those choices are theirs alone. All I can say is that all these years later I stand by what I did and I’m convinced that it was the best thing I could have done for myself, my family and my friends.
I’m deeply committed to making a positive difference in our communities. The Right Track and its return to Christchurch is certainly an avenue for this. If we can change the behaviour of just 1 driver in our program and that change saves a life then the impact on our community is immeasurable.
The Right Track by its nature and structure works with repeat offenders. For many our program comes too late and their choice has led to a catastrophic consequence. As an educator I believe we can deliver a program through our schools that could fundamentally change from the outset the attitudes and decision making that our your drivers take to the roads. If we can grab their attention early and help them to deeply appreciate the responsibilities they have before they get behind the wheel then maybe our program for offenders will become obsolete and our communities will no longer have to bury young people who in a moment are taken from us.
I’m happy to support any school or community anywhere to set up a program that might just save a life…