Bridgestone has extended its partnership with Road Safety Education Limited (RSE) for another five years, committing to support the Ryda road safety programme through to 2030.
The tyre manufacturer aims to help Ryda reach more than 100,000 students per year by 2030, expanding on a partnership that has already delivered road safety education to more than 880,000 students from over 1110 schools across Australia and New Zealand since 2016.
Ryda is RSE’s flagship program targeting 16–18-year-old learners, drivers and passengers through classroom learning and interactive workshops designed to empower young people to make safe choices on the roads.
“The benefit that the Ryda program has on young road users is undeniable and vital in ensuring our next generation of road users are adopting a safe mindset, especially in their first few years on the roads,” Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand managing director Heath Barclay says.
“Over the past nine years we have seen the impact that Ryda makes in communities and through our renewed, multi-year partnership, we’re committed to supporting the growth of the program so that Ryda can benefit even more young Australians and New Zealand students.”
Evidence-based approach
Ryda’s workshops feature real crash investigations with road trauma survivors, insights from law enforcement, and challenges designed to help students understand their personal risk profiles and take practical steps to reduce them. The program empowers students to speak up and call out unsafe driving behaviours among their peers.
The workshops are facilitated by professionals and volunteers, with Bridgestone staff also supporting the program through volunteering opportunities.
“Our collaboration with Ryda is a true partnership providing shared value,” Barclay says. “Our own staff have benefited from volunteering to help support the program and see firsthand the impact the program has, and we’re committed to working with RSE strategically to support them through their next phase of growth.”
Road Safety Education chief executive Maria Lovelock says the continued investment from Bridgestone will be crucial in reaching the 2030 target.
“We are very grateful for the continued support from Bridgestone towards our vision of creating communities free from road deaths and serious injuries,” Lovelock said. “We know Ryda works; in communities where all the schools attend, we can see clear reductions in youth road trauma.”
John Elliot, the program’s Australian head of delivery, says the commitment comes at a crucial time for road safety education.
“There has never been a greater need for our best practice road safety education programs than right now.
“Young people continue to be over-represented in our trauma statistics. Preventing and reducing not only deaths but serious injuries for this younger age group will have significant benefits for Australians and New Zealand communities,” Elliot says.
The partnership with Ryda forms part of Bridgestone’s Global Road Safety Program objectives. Over the past year, Bridgestone has contributed to more than 90 road safety initiatives worldwide.
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