Road safety is Demons’ goal

By Ben Hope
MORE than 4000 players in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League (MPNFL) will attend a new road safety program thanks to a partnership with the Melbourne Football Club, local councils and business.
The third phase of the MPNFL Eastlink road safety campaign, “Don’t drive like a Demon”, will feature a DVD presentation starring Melbourne players Tom Scully, Matthew Bate and Nathan Jones as well as Melbourne Vixen Bianca Chatfield.
MFC football manager Chris Connolly said the team was proud to be involved in a program designed to encourage young drivers to make better choices.
“We have all been involved in road issues and we will be doing everything we can to support this program,” he said.
The “Don’t drive like a Demon” campaign aims to use sport as a way to spread the road safety message directly to young football and netball players. The DVD will also use humorous video footage of idiotic drivers on Eastlink to support the message.
ConnectEast chief financial officer Nick McKechnie said it was widely recognised that drivers in the 18-25 year age group were over represented in road accidents.
“I was also surprised to learn that four of the seven top suburbs in the road toll are from east and south-east Melbourne,” he said.
“This program doesn’t just give a lecture; it encourages young drivers to make better decisions.”
The first of the MPNFL Eastlink road safety program for young drivers began in 2008 and educated players about the risks of alcohol and drugs while driving.
In 2009 the second phase of the program began and offered an in-depth insight into what happens to road crash victims and the aftermath of injuries and fatalities.
Dreena Lawrence from program partner RoadSafe said the intention was for all players within the MPNFL complete the three-year program.
“We hope that once players in all of the 32 clubs in the league complete the program they will make better choices on the road,” she said.
Mornington Peninsula and Casey were ranked first and second for youth road fatalities in 2008.