The latest data from the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) shows deaths on country roads jumped by almost 12 per cent in 2022 compared to the previous year.

In a bid to stem the toll, Road Safety Promotion Australia (RoSPA) said there was a need for a program to teach Year 10 students the ins and outs of road safety and good driving behaviours.

RoSPA board member John Harley said the defunding of the government’s Road Smart program at schools late last year has left a gap for a new education initiative.

Road Smart was a free education program that offered beginner drivers an in-classroom safe driving information session and in-car session with a qualified instructor.

The program was run through Charlton Pre-Driver Education Centre (CHARTSEC) in northern central Victoria, along with other driver centres across the state.

Read More https://rospaaustralia.org/pre-driver-education/

“Research conducted by the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety in Queensland indicated that driver education was an important part of road safety,” Mr Harley said.

“There had to be a number aspects of driver education … including teaching students the skills of driving a motor vehicle.”

Mr Harley said teaching key road safety skills to year 10s was the “prime time”, because it was around the age when most were getting their learner permits.

In a statement, a Victorian government spokesperson said driver education would “continue to be delivered to young people across the state in collaboration with schools, organisations, and communities”.