Road safety education professional learning can have a significant impact on individuals and communities, as demonstrated by Catherine Lee’s success story at Caroline Chisholm School. Through a two-day road safety education workshop, Catherine gained valuable knowledge and resources to enhance teaching and learning for students with diverse needs and promote their safety. Catherine was proactive and took a whole-school approach to road safety education by:

1. Engaging students: Recognising the importance of student voice in road safety education, Catherine involved students in the conversation and secured funding for further support. This event led to the creation of a meaningful video using student voice to remind parents and carers about road safety.
2. Collaborating with the community: The school actively engaged with parents, local council, and the police to foster a safer road environment. They organised a morning tea event to address concerns and share road safety knowledge, building community support and gaining assistance from various stakeholders.
3. Creating school-wide impact: Catherine’s commitment to road safety education inspired the school's executive team to provide a similar professional development opportunity for the entire staff. With the support of the local Road safety education officer, nearly fifty staff members participated in a tailored professional learning day, designing purposeful teaching and learning lessons to cater to their students' needs.
4. Identifying and addressing infrastructure challenges. During the workshop, Catherine raised concerns about existing infrastructure challenges that posed risks to student safety. By working with the local Road Safety Education Officer and organising a meeting with relevant stakeholders, the school was able to successfully implement changes, which included the installation of fences to enhance student safety in pick-up and drop-off areas.

The success story of Caroline Chisholm School illustrates how dedicated teachers and collaborative efforts can have a positive influence on road safety education and lead students to be safer road users now and into the future. If schools are interested in exploring similar professional learning opportunities, they are encouraged to contact their local Road safety education officer to tailor a program that meets the unique needs of staff and students.