Welcoming the Murrumburrah High School's driver training program's new car this week were, from left: acting principal Alan Ronayne, teacher Adam Bernthaler (background), Hugh McAlister, McAlister Motors; Jim Wright,Kruger Trust; instructor Ian Baird, Alison Manwaring, treasuer, MHS P&C instructor Antoinette Ward and students Steve Minney, Jacob Page, Cara Phillis and Brittany Heywood.
THE Murrumburrah High School received a new car this week to keep its driver training program at the school going.
The new car is a Hyundai i20sedan, fitted with dual controls and set up to meet industry standards.
It is a fuel efficient vehicle that has many safety features such as an anti-skid braking system, electronic brakeforce distribution and electronic stability control. Added to this, the vehicle has six airbags which will make it a very safe vehicle in which student will be able to learn to drive.
The high school’s driver training program is sponsored by the Murrumburrah High School P&C, the Geoffrey Kruger Trust and McAlister Motors Young.
This program has been in operation at the school for more than 27 years.
It is designed to teach safe driving habits and to make students realise when they are driving that they are responsible for the safety of not only themselves but that of family, friends and community members as well.
The school’s driving program is accredited by the NSW Roads and Maritime Services. The programs driving instructors are teacher Ms Antoinette Ward and former teacher Ian Baird, both of whom are licensed commercial driving instructors.
Using their years of experience they are able to guide students through a series of lessons that begin with basic driving skills and progress onto the more complex aspects of driving and interaction with other traffic.
The students have given this driver training program a high rating because it gives the individual tuition with no pressure and it helps them gain their provisional driving licence.
The program is open to students who wish to partake of the opportunity, the only requirements being the students must be at least 16 years of age and have a current learner’s permit.
Ian Baird said much has been said about how to reduce the road toll, particularly among young people in the 18 to 25 age bracket
“This program provides a hands-on, safe driving focus which turns words into action,” he said.
“Good driving habits learned early stay with drivers in later years.
“Very few schools have a driver training program and not many could match our program that has run successfully and continuously for more than 27 years.
“The Harden community has an asset that is worth keeping, but on-going support for this community-based program is needed to keep it running in future years.”
